FRESNO, Calif.—After watching Shen Yun Performing Arts present traditional Chinese culture onstage at the William Saroyan Theater on the afternoon of Jan. 16, one theatergoer was impressed by China’s divine culture.

Michael Torres, a pastor, said he didn’t know China had such a rich, divine culture. “I got the impression that I came to something very spiritual, [giving] meaning to real life,” he said.

He particularly enjoyed the classical vocalists who sang original works, which encourage people to reflect on why we are here in this world.

“We sit back and think where we came from and where we are going, … the freedom to express themselves and think more of the soul,” he said about the meaning behind the performances.

The Chinese have always believed that their traditional culture was given by the gods.

“They [performers] talked about the Creator, they talked about the Heaven, … I was very much impressed,” Mr. Torres said.

Mr. Torres’s wife Rebecca Torres was struck by the gracefulness of the dancers and thought the costumes were beautiful. “They were graceful and strong at the same time and the costumes were just amazing,” she said.

The brilliantly colored costumes seek to provide “an authentic presentation of the attire that comes from China’s divinely inspired traditional culture, and a consummate stage effect, according to Shen Yun’s website.

Mr. Torres said he thought the performances were very soulful and plans to read more about the Chinese culture.

But he cautioned that we “need to have a right mind, right spirit.”

Reporting by Michelle Yang, Alex Ma, and Arleen Richards

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.

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.