SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Reveals What’s ‘Happening Behind the Curtain in China,’ Says Human Rights Lawyer

Apr 20, 2023
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Shen Yun Reveals What’s ‘Happening Behind the Curtain in China,’ Says Human Rights Lawyer
Ewelina Ochab enjoyed Shen Yun at the Eventim Apollo in London on April 15, 2023. (Chloe Hsiao/The Epoch Times)

LONDON—Ewelina Ochab, a British human rights lawyer, enjoyed Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Eventim Apollo on April 15. Due to her work, she knew much about some things happening in China today, but less about the cultural heritage of China before communism.

From the moment the curtains opened and a scene above the clouds appeared, Ms. Ochab was enchanted with the artistry.

“I think it just shows the importance of preserving this cultural heritage for future generations,” Ms. Ochab said.

“If it continues the way it is happening right now, a lot of this cultural heritage will be destroyed so it is crucial to preserve it.”

New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company, and has a mission to revive 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, one of the world’s oldest and longest continuous civilizations, until communism’s rise to power in 1949. Since then, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has worked to uproot China’s traditional culture.

“This is a very interactive way of preserving it, and with the performances around the world you show it to other people as well and they see the beautiful culture, they see the damage done by the CCP, and hopefully it encourages them to act,” said Ms. Ochab.

Ms. Ochab praised the music, dance, and wonderful performances, and said of equal importance was a story-based dance she saw right before the intermission.

This story was based in modern-day China, based on true events. It touched on the CCP’s unconscionable practice of live organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience, citizens who are imprisoned for practicing their faith.

Ms. Ochab has been working with members of Parliament on the persecution of Falun Gong adherents in China for several years now. Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual practice centered around the three principles of truth, compassion, and forbearance.
She did not realize Shen Yun would touch on this sensitive topic, but was impressed and not surprised. After all, the number of Falun Gong practitioners were estimated to be 100 million in China, and it is also a widely popular meditation practice around the world.
“This is something people definitely should see. It is a shame that one cannot show the performance in China. Heartbreaking, but ultimately that’s the reality of life in China right now with the CCP in power. But hopefully, hopefully someday it will change, and performances like this will be shown in China,” Ms. Ochab said.

“I hope people, even if they don’t know anything about organ harvesting, they got the idea of what was happening. Because it was there. It was very powerful,” she said. “To see what is happening behind the curtain in China, I think that’s very important. I think having that place there, it can educate a lot of people.”

The 2019 China Tribunal that looked into the CCP’s forced organ harvesting had taken place in London, and it began Ms. Ochab’s work on this issue. At the time, a lot of information and reports on organ harvesting was coming out, as well as a lot of propaganda from the CCP.

“You cannot take the propaganda as it is, you have to seek the truth, and that’s what the China Tribunal was doing,” she said.

She hoped Shen Yun would do the same for people around the world.
“I think it will be opening eyes for many people,” she said.
“I think it’s very brave of them to do it. I think it’s one thing to say a very wonderful job done, that’s one thing, but it’s really brave, because I know that they will be facing many difficult challenges because of what they do.”
“I’m sure they will be banned from entering China, their families may be threatened, definitely they are facing many risks with the work that they do.”

“Incredible bravery. Keep going, we all very much look forward to better times when the communities are not persecuted anymore.”

Reporting by Chloe Hsiao.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
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