Chinese Dance Troupe Promotes Banned Religion

When your native country deems the religion you practice illegal, where do you go?    Most persecuted individuals settle in America, “the land of the free,” and establish themselves particularly in New York City, where diversity prevails and tolerance thrives. Nevertheless, sending controversial religious messages through art that is intended to entertain is not something that New York audiences are all too comfortable with.

Shen Yun is a New York-based Chinese dance troupe that tours and performs throughout the U.S. and in countries all over the world, with the exception of its own. According to the organization’s official website, “Shen Yun cannot be seen in China today, where traditional culture has been nearly lost.” But, perhaps the true reason the company cannot be seen in China is that the religion it promotes is illegal there.

Although the troupe is not officially associated with the religion, a majority of its affiliates practice Falun Gong, or Falun Dafa, which Shen Yun’s founder, Ben Freed, defines as a “meditation practice about truthfulness, compassion and tolerance that embodies daily life.” However, followers of this religion were banned from China in 1999, after the communist government declared Falun Gong a treacherous cult with political motives.

With its colorful advertisements featuring dancers in beautiful handmade costumes, props, and jewelry, Shen Yun attracts hundreds of thousands of audience members each year. The performers captivate their viewers with their extraordinary talent and grace. Freed explains that “Shen Yun means divine spirit. The dancers imitate divine beings dancing.”

Each show, which takes nearly six months to create, combines classical Chinese dance with live orchestral music, elegant wardrobe pieces, and animated backdrops. But the company fails to warn the public about the apparent religious messages that it also incorporates.

Audiences across the globe arrive at the illustrious theaters in which Shen Yun’s productions are typically held, expecting to see grand spectacles that will allow them to enter a transcendent world of Chinese culture. While they are presented with an array of exquisite traditional Chinese dances, they are also exposed to some distasteful and objectionable scenes that serve to illuminate the injustices imposed on Chinese citizens by the communist government. At the same time, Shen Yun seeks to popularize the moral focus of Falun Gong through its alluring, but slightly disturbing, repertoire.

Since the organization’s founding, Shen Yun has consistently infused acts that blatantly depict the misconduct of communist government officials within its two hour-long shows. One episode that was included in a previous production portrayed a mother, who practiced Falun Dafa, being beaten by a band of communist officers, while her young child watched nearby. After the mother was imprisoned and put to death, attention shifted to the child and his father, who observed as spiritual figures descended from the heavens, retrieved the woman, and destroyed the prison.

Another scene featured a man in Tiananmen Square, holding a banner that read, “Falun Dafa is good.” He was then shown being ruthlessly beaten by police, who seized him shortly after and left him physically wounded in a detention center. Once again, god-like entities descended to rescue and restore the man to health, and overcome the unprincipled officers.

It’s understandable why audiences would find these scenes unpleasant. Viewers probably wouldn’t mind if these religious and political messages were addressed in a more subtle manner. However, Shen Yun’s tendency to display outright violence and abuse startles audiences and leaves them questioning the company’s true intentions. In 2000, reporter Craig Smith of The New York Times wrote that “aspects of the movement, or cult, suggest that the group’s followers are misled and its leader deluded, or even a fraud.”

Due to controversy regarding the company’s religious aims, Shen Yun’s shows have even faced cancellation. The dance group’s Richmond show was called off in May 2012 because of “circumstances that [would] impact the artistic presentation,” said Tong Wang, a regional coordinator for the company. Shen Yun has gained opposition not only in China, but also in the United States as a result of its contentious beliefs.

Despite the many great reviews the show has received, there are plenty of viewers who have had issues with the way the company chooses to address their values. One anonymous audience member shared on his blog post, “I consider myself a reasonably cultured person … On the subject of religious tolerance I am very open, I respect most religious beliefs and practices … However, when someone tries to shove their religion in my face, we have a problem.” These comments on Shen Yun’s shows are not uncommon. In 2008, The New York Times shed some light on this issue in an article titled “A Glimpse of Chinese Culture That Some Find Hard to Watch,” noting that many viewers “had realized that the show was not simply a celebration of the Chinese New Year, but an outreach of Falun Gong, that is banned in China.”

This is not to say that people should refrain from watching the organization’s productions. Shen Yun’s shows have, in fact, been commended by viewers around the world, for its breath-taking performances, and many have been able to overlook their religious and political aspects. The company and its members are permitted, like all residents of the U.S., to have and express their own beliefs. But audiences would appreciate it a lot more if their expression of those ideals were less direct and kept at a minimum in public shows. Nonetheless, this New York troupe will continue to gain popularity and showcase Chinese culture to all corners of our world.

Works Cited

“About – Shen Yun Performing Arts.” Shen Yun Performing Arts. Shen Yun Performing Arts, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. <http://www.shenyunperformingarts.org/about>.

Liu, Marian. “Shen Yun Dance Troupe Sheds Light on Falun Gong.” The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company, 27 Dec. 2010. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. <http://seattletimes.com/html/thearts/2013781423_shenyun28.html>.

Marshall, Lea. “Shen Yun Cancels Richmond Show.” Style Weekly. Style Weekly, 1 May 2012. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. <http://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/shen-yun-cancels-richmond-show/Content?oid=1704200>.

“Shen Yun, A Political Tool of Falun Gong.” Consulate General of The People’s Republic of China in Chicago. Consulate General of The People’s Republic of China in Chicago, 22 Nov. 2009. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. <http://www.chinaconsulatechicago.org/eng/zt/z83/t628413.htm>.

“Truth on Falun Gong | Shen Yun in Dallas.” Truth on Falun Gong | Shen Yun in Dallas. Cult Studies, 7 Oct. 2012. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. <http://www.facts.org.cn/puop/201207/t148327.htm>.