Many audience members who watched Shen Yun Performing Arts with their family said they appreciated the beauty, dancing, storylines, and values that traditional Chinese culture espouses.
“It’s really wonderful to come out for the first time in a long time and see such vibrancy and culture, so it’s been really good,” said Peter Auhl, chief information officer and owner of EQi consulting, after watching Shen Yun in Adelaide’s Festival Theatre with his daughter on May 13.
Chelsea Heath, co-director of RockSolid Building Company, also appreciated the Chinese culture and educational value Shen Yun presented.
“It’s a beautiful culture. It’s full of kindness and joy and family and food and just togetherness,” Heath said.
Shen Yun’s mission is to revive China’s 5,000-year-old culture.
Through a series of vignettes, Shen Yun showcases stories of courage and sacrifice, integrity and loyalty, compassion and virtue.
“In the olden times, there is the handshake agreement—we don’t need a contract. There is loyalty to the family, to your friends, to your children, and I didn’t really think about it until today looking back,” said May Chuah, owner of Coobitsa, a corporate finance company, after watching Shen Yun with her family at Melbourne’s Palais Theatre on April 24.
Values such as filial piety—a virtue of respect for one’s parents, elders, and ancestors—are also considered an important moral tenet in traditional Chinese culture.
Award-winning actor Berlin Lu said his mom’s experience watching Shen Yun in the past was what motivated him to bring her along this year.
“I just saw how much my mom was moved in the past watching Shen Yun. She loves the music, the performances. Everyone’s so talented, and I just feel compelled to want to bring my mom to see it,” Lu said on May 1 at Bendigo’s Ulumbarra Theatre.
Jamie Webster, a music conductor and ethnomusicologist who watched Shen Yun with her daughter in Adelaide on May 13, said every piece had “artistic courage and visionary courage, and also a courageous message.”
“There’s always a balance between presenting something that is beautiful and accessible, but then also provokes us to think and provokes us to be aware of the world around us,” Webster said.
Heath added: “A really nice introduction for my child to learn about China and see the beautifulness that it has to offer.”
NTD news, Australia
