ST. LOUIS—“If I had the opportunity, I would write a feature article in every newspaper, put it on the front page, tell everyone to come on and see Shen Yun Performing Arts,” said Dallas L. Browne, a retired professor of Anthropology and currently the Honorary Consul of Tanzania. He had just watched the traditional Chinese dance and music company at the Peabody Opera House on its last performance in St. Louis, on April 21.
Shen Yun travels the globe bringing with it China’s divinely inspired, traditional culture, drawn from its 5,000-year history. The evening is comprised of short vignettes of classical Chinese dance and of folk dances from the more than 50 ethnicities in China. World-class singers and instrumentalists fill out the program.
Dr. Browne has traveled extensively, been to China several times, in fact, speaks Mandarin, and so was familiar with Chinese history and culture. He was thrilled with New York-based Shen Yun because it promotes understanding between different cultures, something he has dedicated this life to.
“I love it, a lot of energy, a lot of emotions, it’s very exciting,” he said.
“It’s wonderful! I wish everyone could experience this. I think the more that Americans understand China and the more the Chinese can understand Americans, the greater the prospects for peace going into the future, so I would like to see so many, many more cultural exchanges, bridges to understanding one another,” he said.
Dr. Browne believes that Americans don’t see the Chinese as particularly spiritual “because the way it’s presented in the media.”
Dr. Browne was glad that Shen Yun showed the spiritual side of the Chinese because it allowed for a deeper understanding of Chinese people, “to see that they’re not godless.” China is a communist country, he said, yet he has also seen the faith of its people.
He spoke about how although violence can never be condoned, understanding, love and forgiveness is the only thing that can fight evil. “The only thing that can fight darkness is love.” He saw this message in Shen Yun.
Reporting by Valerie Avore and Sharon Kilarski
Shen Yun Performing Arts, based in New York, tours the world on a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
