SAN FRANCISCO—For John West, senior vice president of a bank, the side of China he saw in Shen Yun Performing Arts was a refreshing one.
“It is nice to see the genesis of Chinese culture,” Mr. West said at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, Jan. 11.
New York-based Shen Yun revives 5,000 years of Chinese civilization through the performing arts, and Mr. West said it had seemed like a wonderful opportunity when he heard about the performance. “It was a great decision,” he added.
Even in the United States, growing up the past 60 years, Mr. West said the side of China people have seen during that time is only the one under communist rule. But in Shen Yun, he saw “the spiritual side [of China] that we don’t see or learn about that often.”
China was once called the land of the divine, but under the current regime the traditional culture was once nearly lost and is still suppressed.
Being a spiritual person, the connection between heaven, earth, and humankind—the belief woven through the dynasties—was apparent in Shen Yun’s performance for Mr. West.
Shen Yun tells a story beginning from the inception of the first dynasty, with the Creator coming down from the heavens to impart the culture and 5,000 years of Chinese civilization. From the brilliant costumes to traditional Chinese dance, every aspect brings forth that connection.
It had been a fun experience as well, Mr. West said, noting the ethnic and folk dances included like the Mongolian Chopsticks dance.
“It was all so graceful,” Mr. West said. “I haven’t seen such graceful dancing before.”
“It is graceful; it is exciting, colorful, athletic—you need to see it,” Mr. West said.
Reporting by NTD Television and Catherine Yang
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit Shen Yun Performing Arts.
The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
