CANBERRA, Australia—Shen Yun Performing Art’s mission to restore the authentic culture of China’s history “before communism” resonated with Keith Morgan, chairman of the nonprofit Daargun Aboriginal Corporation, who attended the performance at Canberra Theatre on March 5.
“I just enjoy it,” said Mr. Morgan, declaring, “This is China back in the old days.”
“They’re all good. They’ve all got a good meaning to it,” Mr. Morgan said.
According to Shen Yun, China was once known as the land of the divine by its people. However, some faith groups are seen as a threat to the regime’s atheistic ideology.
As an Aboriginal man, Mr. Morgan resonated with the oppression suffered by Falun Dafa practitioners in China and was impressed by Shen Yun telling this story through dance.
He referenced a dance story called “Crimes at the End of Days,” in which a brother regrets becoming a policeman for the regime after trying to protect his sister, a Falun Dafa practitioner.
He said the piece “demonstrated the battle that they go through,” referring to Falun Dafa adherents in China.
“Everyone’s got a battle in their life, and they’re demonstrating it through dance,” he added.
Mr. Morgan noted how the piece shows, through the brother’s ultimate actions, “that not everybody’s wrong or bad.”
“Watching this dance performance inspires it a lot more, you know,” he said. “We didn’t hesitate to buy the tickets,” he added, referring to his wife, who attended with him.
“We’ve been here before and enjoyed it and we’re thoroughly enjoying it tonight,” he said, encouraging others to come along too.
“It’s really, really worth it,” Mr. Morgan added.
“There’s a lot of talent out there and they’ve worked really, really hard ... to get it to where it is. It’s just beautiful,” he said.
Tibetan Buddhist ‘Very Impressed’ by Shen Yun
Lhawang Gyalpo, the executive secretary of the Tibet Information Office in Canberra, praised Shen Yun on March 5.As a Buddhist, Mr. Gyalpo was particularly struck by the message that kindness is rewarded in a dance story that depicts the oppression of Chinese people under the CCP.
“We are being a Buddhist; we believe in karma. And if you act for good cause, the action will be reverted back to you,” he said, adding that having a “kind heart is very important” and “good for the community.”
Mr. Gyalpo noted that Tibetan Buddhists also face oppression by the CCP. Expressing the importance of young people carrying on cultural traditions, he was “very impressed” to see Shen Yun’s young dancers on stage doing just that.
“Our culture, language, tradition all are diminishing under the Chinese Communist Party rule, and such this type of old tradition which are more than 1,000 years old should be observed and it should be preserved by the youngster,” he said.
“The older generation people ... has to pass all those ancient, old traditions... to the younger children. And that’s very important, I think, and all the youngsters, performers are very young, and I love that,” he said.
Mr. Gyalpo enjoyed the Shen Yun orchestra, which performed live alongside the dancers. Shen Yun’s orchestra permanently combines classical Western and Chinese instruments to make a unique sound.
“I will definitely advise my friends and relatives to go and watch the Shen Yun,” Mr. Gyalpo said.
