TAINAN, Taiwan—On the evening of April 14, Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company performed at the Tainan Cultural Center. Mr. Tai, Cheuk-yin Leslie Spencer, former member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, was in the audience with his Taiwanese friend. Deeply moved by the Chinese culture presented in Shen Yun, Mr. Tai shared his impressions.
Last year, Shen Yun was due to perform in Hong Kong, however, the shows had to be cancelled at the last minute due to visas not being granted for a number of the technical staff. Mr. Tai said, “I feel so sorry that such a wonderful show could not be performed in Hong Kong. I sincerely look forward to Shen Yun’s performance in Hong Kong, as it is not only artistic exchange, but also cultural transmission. So this is something important.”
Majoring in history, Mr. Tai said, “In the program, we saw beautiful costumes, which reminded us of the profound Chinese culture. This is something that every Chinese person should be proud of, and in the meantime, it also helps preserve the Chinese culture.”
Mr. Tai commented on the solo vocalists, saying, “Through these vocalists’ performances, the audience can be linked with culture and arts. This is how we interact with them [the vocalists], and it is also the spirit of our 5,000-year-old Chinese culture. I hope that some important, inspiring philosophies can be perceived by every audience member who entered [the performance hall], through the songs performed by these singing artists. I feel this is something important.”
Mr. Tai was also deeply moved by dancers’ conscientiousness, he said, “The dancers were really very magnificent. We could hardly see their feet touching the ground as they kept jumping, as if every inch of their muscles was participating in the dance. It was indeed a high class performance.”
He particularly enjoyed the dance, Ladies of the Tang Palace and the costumes of Tang Dynasty. He said in delight, “It seemed that I had returned to the great Tang Dynasty, and I felt so delightful!”
In conclusion, Mr. Tai said, “I experienced the Chinese history from its beginning to the Qin warriors [Recalling the Great Qin] and the Manchurian noblewomen of the Qin Dynasty [Manchurian Elegance]. There were also programs depicting the legends in classic Chinese novels, such as Journey to the West [Monkey King Outwits Pigsy] and Outlaws of the Marsh [The Heroic Lu Zhishen]. It was really very nice.”
“Everyone who saw the show would have had different feelings. Regardless of whatever they were, I hope that everyone can bring back their joy. I look forward to the all-new program next year.”
Mr. TAI, Cheuk-yin Leslie Spencer was elected in Hong Kong’s election of members of Legislative Council in 1999 and successfully re-elected in 2003.
Reporting by Huang Jiecchuan.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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