An economist from China says he’s learning more about his home country from a New York-based Chinese dance company. He shares his experience seeing the performance, which seeks to revive China’s traditional culture—even though it can’t perform there.
“I saw a long-lost art, a long-lost art that we aren’t able to see [in China]. These arts are so perfect, but innovative, surprisingly. When I saw it, I was really excited from the bottom of my heart. In some scenes, [I didn’t cry, but I did wipe away some tears.] I shed some tears, my companion also saw me wiping tears away. It was really moving,” said Mr. Dong, a Chinese economist and scholar.
Mr. Dong saw Shen Yun Performing Arts in Stamford, Connecticut, on Saturday. Shen Yun travels the world performing with a mission to revive China’s 5,000 years of culture. But there’s one place they can’t go—China.
Mr. Dong came from China two years ago. He says he’s saddened he can’t see his own country’s cultural heritage within its own borders.
“The culture that Shen Yun showed us today is the culture that we as a people accumulated and passed down for thousands of years. But it’s been completely destroyed at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party,” he said. “I feel very delighted today that I could see our culture, but I am also saddened because we have to go overseas to be able to see our true culture.”
“This is very sad for our nation, and our country.”
Shen Yun draws inspiration from ancient Chinese culture, which is believed to be divinely inspired. Mr. Dong says he was deeply moved by the show’s inner meaning.
“It also allows us to see the kingdom of God, and the world of God is so beautiful. It also allows us to see that as ordinary people, we want to become people in the kingdom of God. The performance shows us that we have this path to yearn for.”
He added that he sees hope and a future for China.
“We have good things waiting for us. There will be a future for our nation, but the premise is to disintegrate the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Disintegration of the CCP will bring our nation, our country a better future, just like the beauty presented through Shen Yun.”
Mr. Dong expressed his deep gratitude to Shen Yun for allowing the world to see what China was before communism.
Shen Yun Performing Arts will show next in Colorado Springs, from July 27 to 29—the first stop in its 2021-2022 world tour.
