BRISBANE, Australia—Retired drama teacher Julia Maloney said
Shen Yun Performing Arts was “just as I had hoped” after attending the world’s leading
classical Chinese dance production at Brisbane’s QPAC on Feb. 27.
Speaking of the experience, she described leaving the theatre feeling “uplifted, inspired, joyful, and very happy.”
The New York-based artists, who are currently touring Australia to showcase the diverse culture of “China before communism,” introduced Ms. Maloney to the 5,000 years of spirituality and divinely-inspired philosophy that was once the foundation of China’s society, before the oppressive rule that modern-day China is known for owing to the Communist Party.
“It’s not specifically one religion,” she said of the 5,000 years of
Chinese culture presented by Shen Yun’s dancers and live orchestra. “It is looking at the bigger picture ... kindness and love, and that we humans need to be better, act better. So you feel very much connected to the goodness in us,” she said of the themes explored in the performance.
She was very appreciative that her husband had bought her a very expensive ticket to see Shen Yun for her birthday.
Really Important Messages
Ms. Maloney added that it was “very disappointing” to learn that Shen Yun cannot perform in China, where it is banned.The Chinese Communist Party has systematically been trying to
destroy Chinese people’s spiritually-rooted culture since it took power, including the brutal persecution of the spiritual practice Falun Gong since 1999. Its practitioners strive to live by the values and virtues taught in the Buddhist and Taoist traditions of China, which Falun Gong teaches is encompassed by three universal principles that everyone can live by truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance.
“I think that the messages are really important,” she said of the stories of faith, kindness, courage, and hope presented in Shen Yun. “Messages like we need to be kinder; we have to remember that there is a creator.”
Ms. Maloney said she didn’t know what people could really do when it comes to oppressive countries like China. But she thanked Shen Yun for presenting beauty and kindness on the world stage.
“If they can know that their work was hugely appreciated, that they are so skilled and talented, and please keep doing what they’re doing to
bring joy to the world,” she told the performers with a big smile.
Reporting by Rachel Qu and Melanie Sun.
