FORT SMITH, Ark.—International company executive Derek Wagner, his wife Sherry, a retired educator, and Brent Anderton, a county clerk, enjoyed a memorable evening at Shen Yun Performing Arts on March 19 at the Fort Smith Convention Center.
“I love it. It’s beautiful, inspiring, and I love the creativity,” Mrs. Wagner exclaimed.
The New York-based Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by elite Chinese artists who had fled the persecution of the communist party.
For 5,000 years, China’s civilization flourished under the shared belief that the divine will bless those who uphold traditional moral values. Tragically, within just a few decades of the communist party’s violent takeover, these beliefs were erased and replaced with atheism.
“The storylines are great. The spiritual aspect is really beneficial for me to understand,” he shared.
Shen Yun’s performance is comprised of a series of short pieces that take its audience on a ride through the dynasties and across the vast regions of China. Using classical Chinese, folk, and ethnic dances, as well as solo musical performances, Shen Yun tells tales from ancient times to the modern day.
A religious man, Mr. Wagner resonated deeply with the traditional Chinese values presented throughout the performance. He thought these values were quite similar to Christianity and provided him with “some new perspectives.”
Mr. Anderton, too, loved the rich display of traditional Chinese culture throughout the evening and lamented that Shen Yun is currently banned in China.
“It’s very similar to Western Christian ideals. They show us that we all have heavenly origins and we’re going back to heavenly origins.”
“I also love that [Shen Yun is] showing ... how the communist Chinese government has suppressed that in their people. It’s a tragedy. I’m glad they’re sharing this with the world.”
