SEOUL, South Korea—Kang Yeong-Suk, a former broadcaster and director of the cultural center Yejiwon, attended the performance by Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company in Sangmyung Art Center on the evening of April 16.
After watching the final 2013 performance in Seoul, Ms. Kang got a lump in her throat. She said emotionally, “I am proud of Chinese culture. Shen Yun is the honor of the Oriental people. Shen Yun surely has conquered the world. It is the paragon of art.”
“I have done broadcasting for 30 years. During this period of time, I not only participated in performances but was also hostess. Seeing the performance of Shen Yun, I took pride in the Eastern culture. It is not merely a dance performance, or a quiescent presentation. The choreographer is bound to be exceptional,” Ms. Kang added.
Ms. Kang then narrated her feelings excitedly. “The flowing river in the backdrop was marvelous. It streamed smoothly but rapidly. I was extremely amazed. The leading artist separated the river surface with a monk’s spade and jumped out of the water. The mystery of how the artists appeared magically from the backdrop deserved to be researched. I, along with my husband, watched the performance intently. I used to only know Xuanzang and Record of Three Kingdoms in Chinese literature. Nevertheless, Shen Yun used the form of dance to portray the stories. This was great as well as impressive.”
“I used to think that, whether it was ballet or other common dance, it was artistically one dimensional, but Shen Yun is totally different. It is the blending of various kinds of art forms. It is the representation of Oriental art. Although Eastern people are more humble, in my impression, Shen Yun is the one that has swept the world. Undoubtedly, it is the classic art of the 21st century.”
Speaking of the spiritual meanings she could feel from the performance, she sincerely said. “The virtues of Shen Yun are benevolence, justice, property and wisdom, and respect for the heavens. As the director of Yejiwon, I have had the prejudice that Eastern people are too traditional. By watching Shen Yun, I found out that the East has highly developed in the 21st century and the changes are even beyond nations. I am proud of the Chinese culture. It is the great renown of the Orients.”
“Nowadays, when people mention Gods, we think that they are quite distant from us, or it is superstitious to believe in Gods. After being in attendance at this Shen Yun performance, I feel that Gods exist everywhere. This is the real art. If I had missed this performance, I would cry regrettably,” Ms. Kang stated.
Ms. Kang further explained, “I wish more and more people, people of different races all over the world, could come to see Shen Yun. Watching Shen Yun is an honor. People all around the world will regard this as a model if they experience this performance. In my opinion, a total revolution in choreography will occur.”
Ms. Kang concluded by saying: “People, of any nationality, including Koreans, will come to realize the warmth and the artistry that Shen Yun has to offer after seeing it in person. It is a perfect combination of ancient and modern art. And the content itself is absolutely worth being proud of.”
Reporting by Kim Kyung-ah and Amy Yu
Shen Yun Performing Arts, based in New York, tours the world on a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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