TAIPEI, Taiwan—On the evening of Dec. 30, the New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts grandly opened its 2026 Asia tour at the Grand Auditorium of the Taiwan Traditional Theater Center.
Tickets for all three Taipei shows sold out well in advance. After organizers released hundreds of reserved seats, they were snapped up just as quickly, filling the hall to capacity.
President Lai Ching-te formally congratulated Shen Yun with a floral tribute, followed by similar gestures from Interior Minister Liu Shih-fang, Defense Minister Wellington Koo, Keelung Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang, and Keelung City Council Speaker Tung Tzu-wei.
On his congratulatory card, President Lai wrote, “Five thousand years of civilization reborn. [Wishing] Shen Yun 2026 a complete success!”
Shen Yun Stirs a ‘Renewed Appreciation for Cultural Roots’
After watching the performance, Chen Wen-chia, the vice president of Kainan University, praised the show effusively. “When I walked out of the theater,” he said, “it wasn’t just visual amazement that lingered, but also a renewed appreciation for cultural roots and lasting reflections on human kindness and spiritual freedom.”“The overall experience is a cultural baptism that fuses high artistry with profound spiritual meaning,” said Chen.
Chen said that he now truly understands the core appeal of Shen Yun, which has captivated audiences worldwide for nearly two decades.
“It’s not only the precision, unity, and technical difficulty of the movements,” he explained, “but also how classical Chinese dance embodies values such as loyalty, compassion, faith, and courage.”
“The music is richly layered,” he said. “It preserves the elegance and delicacy of Eastern melodies while blending in the grandeur of Western orchestration, giving the dance an even richer emotional dimension.”
Chen was deeply touched by this artistic presentation. “When I left the theater, what stayed with me was more than visual impact; it was a deepened appreciation for cultural roots and an enduring reflection on human goodness and spiritual freedom.”
Shen Yun ‘Lets People See the Real Chinese Culture’
“Shen Yun lets people see the real Chinese culture!” said Li Kuo-zheng, a former political commentator now living in Canada, who attended the performance for the first time with his wife during their visit to Taiwan. “What is the true China? Shen Yun plays exactly this role—it brings authentic Chinese culture to light.”He praised the dancers’ superb technique. “Their fundamentals are excellent,” he said.
He was also impressed by the synergy of the live music and staging. “It was a truly pleasing experience for the eyes and heart,” he said.
“What I find most valuable is that it presents Chinese culture itself. Today, many people conflate the CCP with China. What is the real China? Shen Yun conveys a crucial idea—the CCP is not China,” he remarked.
He believes a couple of scenes depicting the CCP police persecuting kindhearted civilians reflect the regime’s true nature.
