KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan—Kaohsiung, also known as the Harbor Capital of Taiwan, welcomed the first of four performances by Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company on the evening of March 12. At the Chih-The Hall of the Kaohsiung City Cultural Center, the audience gave non-stop, thunderous applause in tribute to the exquisite dancing, the harmonious melody, and the jubilant mini-dramas.
Tien-Tsai Chen, CEO of Green Villa, and his wife, were on hand to see Shen Yun for the very first time. Mr. Chen praised Shen Yun saying that it had brought a sparkle to his rather dull life.
“This is something I have never experienced before. I simply can’t articulate the wonderful joy I feel,” said Mr. Chen. He said he was most touched by the pure beauty and pure compassion of the performance. He added that the implicit programs shown on stage, which were portraying authentic Chinese culture, were completely different from what other performing arts groups could offer.
Joyful Little Monks was a memorable program for Mr. Chen. He said: “It is usually very difficult for any type of performance to make me laugh, because I am in charge of steel manufacturing and construction. The workload that comes with my job is definitely not a joy. However, today, I am really, truly happy. Having seen the programs, I am simply ecstatic.”
Mr. Chen was deeply impressed by the coordination of the digitally animated backdrop and the dancing. He commented, “The combination of backdrop and dancing had given me a real up-close feeling. Absolutely wonderful.” The gorgeous, handmade costumes also earned praise from Mr. Chen, saying that they were “very classical and elegant.”
Mr. Chen’s wife, Shufen Hu, was in awe over the perfect fusion of the Shen Yun Orchestra and the dancing. She said that it is quite rare that a performance is accompanied by live music. So the performance by Shen Yun has been a double treat for the eyes and the ears.
Through classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun portrays the divine Chinese culture where emphasis is placed on the virtues of respect for the heavens and benevolence. Mr Chen said that even though he rarely comes in contact with traditional performing arts, he believed that Shen Yun would have a positive effect on Taiwanese society. Finally, he said he would invite more people to come to see Shen Yun.
Shen Yun Rediscovers the Roots of Chinese Culture
Mr. Lin Hungtu, chairman of Gaoding Industrial Co., Ltd., has seen Shen Yun perform six times. He said that Shen Yun is infinitely wonderful, believing that its profound content conveys the traditional Chinese culture to the world and purifies people’s hearts. Mr. Lin said, Shen Yun is worthy of promoting widely because it can help young people to have correct thoughts and rediscover the roots of Chinese culture.
As a fan of Shen Yun, Mr. Lin looks forward to seeing Shen Yun every spring, and the New York-based company’s tour to Taiwan has become a great annual event for Mr. Lin. Waving a Membership Card in his hand, he said, “I own the founding Membership Card of the Friends of Shen Yun. There were only 1,000 cards in Taiwan at that time.
“[Shen Yun] not only purifies my mind, but helps me rediscover the lasting charm of the ancient times,” he said.
“Although we see the performance with our eyes, when the gong was sounded at the beginning of the program, my entire mood and feelings suddenly changed.” Being very busy with his business, Mr. Lin said, “Seeing Shen Yun, and sensing the lasting charm and atmosphere of the beauty and compassion in Shen Yun, I can forget worries and let go of anxiety, and my temperament can be cultivated as well.”
Mr. Lin believes that by passing on the 5,000 years of Chinese history and culture by way of the artistic form of dance and music, Shen Yun can have a significant impact on the youth. In his 40s, Mr. Lin felt that seeing Shen Yun satisfied his nostalgia for the ancient times and also helped him to seek out his roots.
“In the generation of the 1950s and 1960s, people still have some impression of [Chinese] history, so seeing Shen Yun can help us to recollect the history. However, it’s relatively hard for young people to understand the significance and meaning of it. Through the performance of Shen Yun, it can inspire the new generation to readjust [their attitude] toward ancient Chinese tradition, and the thoughts and values left by our ancestors.”
“Even the Monkey King on stage, children nowadays rarely see it. In the background culture [of the performance], there were cultural memories of the road our ancestors walked. The classical beauty of art was presented to everyone through the dances.” Mr. Lin said.
Mr. Lin loves to promote Shen Yun, hoping to revive the roots of art and culture for society. He has bought tickets for his employees and friends in northern Taiwan, wishing that everyone could have the chance to appreciate the good and beautiful traditional art form of ancient China.
Reporting by Huimin Jian & Frank Fang and Lee Chingdai and Sunny Chao
Shen Yun Performing Arts, based in New York, tours the world on a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture. Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company will perform in seven cities in Taiwan until April 8 and then continue to top venues in Australia and New Zealand.
For more information visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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