GOLD COAST, Queensland—Director of the Queensland Taiwan Centre Hsu Chun-Yung attended Shen Yun Performing Arts for the first time on Feb. 25 at the Home of the Arts (HOTA), saying, “It truly lives up to its reputation.”
“Even before I came, I knew Shen Yun was a performance dedicated to traditional Chinese culture and the arts,” the cultural centre director said in Mandarin, noting that New York-based Shen Yun is “renowned far and wide.”
“It’s absolutely brilliant,” he said.
Mr. Hsu said he deeply resonated with Shen Yun’s presentation of “China before communism.”
“[Shen Yun] is able to interpret Chinese culture from ancient times to the present, through various stages, and even delve into our folk culture,” he said. “I think Shen Yun excelled across every aspect of the production, integrating artistic execution with profound cultural depth and creativity.”
Shen Yun’s program also “reveals some current realities in Chinese society,” the cultural director said. He was referring to the dance piece, “An Unchangeable Heart,” which tells of the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of faith in China, in particular the persecution of Falun Gong.
Falun Gong is a peaceful meditation practice that teaches living in accordance with the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance, however, it is persecuted by the communist regime. Many of Shen Yun’s performers practice Falun Gong and know people or have been directly persecuted for their faith in China.
Mr. Hsu said the piece told the story of a Falun Gong practitioner who embodies perseverance and resilience amid an unprecedented persecution. He invoked Mencius’s classic Confucian idiom: “Wealth and honour cannot corrupt him, poverty and lowliness cannot sway him, might and force cannot bend him—this defines a true gentleman of moral stature.”
‘Sensational’
Solicitor Scarlett David and her mother, Marlene David, were also in the audience on Wednesday.
Ms. Scarlett David said, “The choreography, the music, it was sensational—it was out of this world. [I] highly recommend anybody to come and see it. It’s just beautiful.”
As Shen Yun celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, Ms. Marlene David said it was her second time watching Shen Yun. She had seen Shen Yun many years ago with her husband in Perth.
“I can’t explain, it’s just so beautiful,” she said. “They’re very soft and gentle, and they’re lovely people. … I think on the inside, they’re those kind of people … because if it’s not there, it can’t come out, right?”
Ms. Scarlett David said she thinks “it’s outstanding and lovely that they still want to hold on to their traditions. ... It just gives people grounding and something to believe in and hope for the future.”
Leaving the theatre, Ms. Scarlett David said she felt “a new lease on life” after watching the performance. “The whole production just gave you a feeling—that feeling of just [being] energised.”
‘Technology and Culture’
Mr. Hsu said he was also very impressed by Shen Yun’s seamless integration of technology into its stagecraft, noting how the dancers on stage were able to interact with the dynamic backdrop.“The combination of technology and culture is exceptionally well done,” Mr. Hsu said. “I’ve always been extremely interested in the magical steps at the back of the stage. The stage design is truly breathtaking.”
Every Shen Yun performance also features the Shen Yun Orchestra, which Mr. Hsu said he enjoyed.
“We can see that the musical arrangement, along with the sound and light effects, is a wonderful fusion of East and West,” he said.
“I hope that through the promotion of this cultural performance, more people can understand the current state of society,” Mr. Hsu said. “I think, perhaps one day, a peaceful and harmonious society will soon be realised [in China].”
