PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—Eric and Christine Wise watched Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Miller Theater in Philadelphia on March 14.
Mr. Wise often attends performances when
Shen Yun arrives in Philadelphia each year. “I think, my sixth or seventh show. I love it. It’s gorgeous, the music is great, the choreography is great, the message is great. I love every part of it,” he said.
He agreed with Shen Yun’s mission to revive the 5,000 years of Chinese civilization that has been destroyed by the
communist regime.
“I'd say it’s incredibly important,” he said and became interested in Falun Dafa.
Mr. Wise picked up the book for
Falun Dafa, a spiritual practice based on truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. “I tried to find a class around me. It’s been a little tough because I live kind of in an isolated area so I got the book, and I’m going to start doing it at home.
He said he opposed the persecution of people who practice Falun Dafa. “The way I see Falun Dafa is that there’s just a focus on three things that I have very much in common: Truth, compassion, and forbearance. It’s just how everyone should live their lives. And the idea that somebody can’t do that in a country is reprehensible to me,” he said.
Shen Yun’s stories tell of a spiritual culture. Through classical Chinese dance and music,
Shen Yun is sharing with the world the beauty of China’s authentic 5,000 years of
history. Since its founding in 2006, the company has received worldwide accolades for its mission to revive traditional Chinese culture.
Mr. Wise said, “I don’t really know much about
China at all. But coming here and seeing the show as many times as I have, and I’ve seen demonstrations in Washington, D.C., it’s a little scary to think about China. The idea that there’s a country out there where people disappear and never show up again simply because of their faith. That’s a little terrifying to me.”
Important Message
“The idea that there’s a country that’s been destroyed by a communist government [and] where its citizens, in many ways, live in fear, that’s just ridiculous to me. So I don’t know how else to say how important it is. It’s a fundamental truth that everybody walking out of this theater takes for granted,” Mr. Wise said.
With the multiple times he has seen Shen Yun, it’s always new for Mr. Wise. “I mean, I’ve gotten the message every time, so I come to see the
new music, the new acts. It’s my first time seeing the orange blossoms. We love those. The fact that the show always stays fresh, that’s what I like about it. That’s what keeps me coming back,” he said.
With
shows scheduled in over 200 cities and across five continents, the 2024 touring season is shaping up to be the artists’ busiest yet.
This was Mrs. Wise’s first time, and she loved the message Shen Yun shared. “It’s very beautiful,” she said. “So for me, it was just the
stories it told, and also the love and family that goes along with it.”
Mrs. Wise said Shen Yun’s message could help her personally. “I think it helps with a lot of personal growth and development. Just watching the differences between [Chinese] culture and what we do every day. I really love that—to showcase it in a different way without having to say anything and just expressions. I think it’s really, really strong,” she said.
Mr. Wise said Falun Dafa’s spiritual foundation is very important for society to understand. “I think they are the three most important words. I think the world is running on a shortage of compassion right now.
“And forbearance: I think probably even more than that. In this country, forbearance is non-existent. No one has any tolerance for anybody else. It’s all about what’s important to them. It’s not about helping other people. Probably I can’t say enough about it and I’m personally a slave to the truth. I think that if you ignore the truth, you’re only going to have trouble,” he said.
Reporting by Frank Liang, Lily Sun, and Yvonne Marcotte.
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