Issued by Clearwisdom Net

Having given seventy performances in more than thirty cities around the world, Divine Performing Arts deeply moved the audience with its first show in Seoul on April 24, 2007. The Dom Art Hall was filled to its two-thousand-seat capacity. Political VIPs, foreign representatives in Korea, professionals, business VIPs, nuns and monks and local residents were greatly moved by the performance of Divine Performing Arts.

In Korea, where Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism are deeply rooted in all walks of life, people gained a true understanding of the righteous cultivation culture conveyed through the performance of Divine Performing Arts. Applause was heard throughout the show. At the end of the show, the audience gave wave after wave of applause, sharing their excitement and appreciation. No words could describe the emotion that Divine Performing Arts brought to the nation with their profound performance reaching back to the Tang Dynasty.

Mr. Yu Chaoping, Director of the Cultural Division of Taipei Mission in Korea, said that Divine Performing Arts (DPA) presented the marrow of the Chinese culture. The Korean people gained a new experience of Chinese culture and learned of their deep origin and the close relationship of their history with that of the Chinese nation. He said that Divine Performing Arts was great entertainment as well as the best introduction to Chinese culture.

Mr. Yu said the Korean culture presented by the Korean Wave and the Chinese culture presented by the DPA had things in common, which was the presentation of the best, most compassionate and the most truthful. Both displayed truthfulness, compassion and beauty.

Mr. Yu said that culture has no national boundary. The Korean culture had been influenced by the Chinese culture. The Divine Performing Arts show had not only had a positive influence on the exchange between the people of both countries, but also promotes multiculturalism around the world by touching people of other cultures and motivating people to learn about another culture.

Three-term Peace Ambassador of the International United NGO and nominee for the Nobel Prize, Kim Huw-yee and his wife, an expert on dance, watched the show and had high praise for it. They loved every performance. "As expected, I saw the essence of Chinese arts. I have heard about the various minority groups in China. It was great to see performances that displayed the characteristics of many of the minority groups!"

Mr. Kim said, "I have been to China but haven't seen Chinese dance before. I have experienced a very unique art today. I made the right decision to come today." Mr. Kim said that the dance, "To the Rightful Place" showed the gods taking the spirit of the dead to Heaven. It presented the unity of Heaven and the people, and salvation. He expressed his wish for the Chinese government to understand the truth of Falun Gong and to stop the persecution.

Mr. Kim expressed his indignation at the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) attempted obstruction of the show in Korea. He said, "What Divine Performing Arts has brought is an art of pure beauty and compassion. It is very ignorant and enraging that the CCP's embassy overreacted to it. As a democratic country, the Korean government didn't assist the arts group but interfered with it many times. As a Korean, I feel embarrassed."

A former Councilwoman brought her son, her grandson and granddaughter to watch the show. She had high praise after the show: "It is a rare and high-quality show! The lineup and the different performances are magnificent, imposing and very touching! It has presented the whole history of China. That is the most significant part of the show."

Regarding the obstructions by the CCP, she said, "No matter where it is, art should be understood and accepted as art. Nobody should resist the value of art based on his own ideas. Doing so will lead him farther and farther away from art."

She also pointed out the thought-provoking nature of the show in addition to its entertainment value. "We should think about the word 'Divine.' Every movement of the dancers made use feel so peaceful."

II. Promoters of Korean Wave Were Moved

The Promoters of the Korean Wave were attracted to Divine Performing Arts' show. The author of the "Korean Wave" said he was very moved. The Chinese culture is a world-class culture. DPA seemed to have brought a spiritual message. He said that the Chinese culture has touched people throughout the world. He hoped that Korean culture would also become a world-class culture.

Mr. Choi Ryuk-sang, representative of HeartKorea and a promoter of the Korean Wave said that the show had a strong rhythm and rich content. The audience experienced the spirit of Divine Performing Arts through magnificent costumes, dance and music.

Mr. Choi said, "The songs, music and dances of DPA all conveyed the message that gods will bring a bright future to the world of man and help people revive the spiritual dimension of humanity." Having a great command of traditional culture, Mr. Choi said that he could feel that the show had a clear theme, but added that the meaning of the show is not limited to just that.

Mr. Choi said gods wanted to send a message to people, that human beings should live like human beings. Everything in the show, including the backdrops, the music and the story about the persecution of Falun Gong, sent this message. No matter how advanced a civilization is, if morality is downgraded and humanity eliminated, man could not accomplish the goal of returning to heaven by himself. The only way to heaven has to be via a righteous way. It is only when man believes that gods can help him accomplish this goal, will he rely on gods and follow what gods say.

Congratulations on Divine Performing Arts' Show in Korea

On a beautiful day in April,

Three thousand people gather to watch a gorgeous show.

A place where Tang Dynasty culture is promoted,

Divine Performance Arts tours around the world.

Many people affiliated with religion were attracted to the show on April 24 and April 25. A nun praised the show, saying, "I could feel the mightiness of gods throughout the show. The costumes were magnificent like fairy ladies' clothes." She felt the presence of gods. "I truly experienced a very strong power. My spirit was moved by every movement of the artists."

She was most impressed by the dance, "A Dunhuang Dream." "It gave me a feeling of watching a heavenly scene. I felt a kind of power. Power from humans cannot be as strong as that from gods." "Every performance had spiritual meaning. Every one of them was perfect. The costumes and dance movements are great!"

Another nun had the same feeling. She said, "I also felt the existence of gods. The power was instilled in every aspect of the show. Every dance and all the song lyrics showed it. I think the feeling of holiness is connected to the culture of our ancestors. The name of the arts group makes you feel the existence of gods... All the performances including the songs and dances showed that everything was in the hands of gods. So, every performance made me feel a strong power." She also said, "It is intermission now. I feel so comfortable that I don't want to get up, because there is a kind of glory that I don't want to leave. I have forgotten how the time passed. The things we nuns should observe and repeat in our mind are all in the performance. It is very moving in the moral aspect. Everyone, old and young, man and woman, would think that it is beautiful."

A monk said that the dance, "Creation" was so moving. He could feel the compassion in the performance. Both the music and colors were solemn. He said that an ordinary person has no way to create such a performance. Only a superior being could produce such a moving performance. He said that after watching the show, one should know to return to his origin. Such a show could purify people's hearts and make them kind.

A nun named Alice said she felt something transcending any nation and any religion in the show. Many religions are actually connected. Gods in religions are superior beings. The show reminded people to respect divine culture.

Out of admiration for Divine Performing Arts, Abbot Lee generously invited one hundred and fifty monks in his temple to the show.

Abbot Lee admired Divine Performing Arts for presenting the five-thousand-year-old culture within such a short time. It wasn't easy to accommodate such a variety of time periods and ethnicities, including Mongolian, Tibetan and Dunhuang culture. Abbot Lee had even more admiration for the Falun Gong practitioners who stood fast on their faith under cruel persecution.

Regarding the CCP's attempted obstruction of the show, Abbot Lee said it was very wrong to apply pressure to the arts. The five-thousand-year-old Chinese culture was brilliant. What the CCP gained could not make up for its loss.

A nun said that she was touched deeply and impressed with the costumes. She was also moved by the dance, "To the Rightful Place," in which a Falun Gong practitioner was tortured to death but a divine being brought her to heaven. After watching the performance, she better understood the facts of the persecution of Falun Gong in China.

The director of the North Korea Human Rights United Investigation Team first congratulated Divine Performing Arts on their performance in Korea. He said that the whole performance was rich and colorful. It is important to spread information about human rights issues through the medium of artistic performance, especially the issue of the rights of Falun Gong practitioners in China. He indicated that it was inconceivable that the Chinese Embassy tried to interfere with the performance. Why did South Korea give in to pressure from the CCP? He said that the reaction of the South Korean government was disappointing.

An officer working in a court in Seoul said, after watching the performance, that he was very moved. As for the CCP's interference with the performance, he said that the CCP was wrong since freedom of belief is affirmed in Korea. If such an arts performance is interfered with due to political or economic reasons, then the world culture is backward.

He emphasized that arts and culture transcend nationality and that the arts cannot be blocked for political purposes or other reasons. Through such a performance, all people share the culture and learn what righteousness is.

His wife also watched the performance and said that she wished there would be religious freedom soon in China.

After the performance, a reporter from the Open North Korea Radio Station said that he had seen true Chinese culture for the first time. He enjoyed it very much, adding that there was no opportunity in Korea to see such performances. The performance reflects Chinese history. The dancing was gentle and very well coordinated, just like one dancer dancing. The costumes were colorful and luxurious. Such a performance cannot be seen on Korean TV. He was impressed.

The deputy director of Northeast Asia Broadcast Association and shortwave broadcast expert watched the performance. He said it was rare to see this kind of performance in Korea. He was very appreciative.

Deputy director of Northeast Asia Broadcast Association and shortwave broadcast expert

He said that it was hard to find real Chinese culture even in China nowadays. He said emotionally, "Why does the CCP regime interfere with a performance that spreads Chinese culture? Is it that Chinese culture cannot be seen by others? It is inconceivable. This peaceful traditional culture is the basis of society. Since the CCP gained power, the traditional culture was damaged. From the point view of Chinese people, Divine Performing Arts is reviving Chinese roots."

The Divine Performing Arts troupe has toured more than thirty cities throughout the world. Wherever it goes audiences were very moved, as the performance presents the essence of the five-thousand-year-old traditional Chinese culture.

Although the Korean government canceled the performance contract due to the CCP's pressure, the Korean public had a huge interest in the show. Tickets for the two scheduled shows were sold out within two days. The organizing committee decided to add one more show on the afternoon of April 25.

During the first two shows, the troupe received congratulations from Korean people of all walks of life. A Member of the Korean Parliament, the Taiwan representative in Korea and the Seoul Chinese High School presented large bundles of flowers to congratulate the successful performance.

The Korean people, with their long history and cultural development, understand the inner connotations of the performance by Divine Performing Arts. This was shown by warm applause during the performance, and long, sustained applause at the end of the show.

The lawsuit filed by Sydney Chinese artist and Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Zhang Cuiying against the chief culprit in the persecution of Falun Gong, Jiang Zemin, has taken on a new development. The plaintiff proposed adding Luo Gan, head of 610 Office, an organization especially set up for persecuting Falun Gong, to be another defendant, in order to bring both him and Jiang Zemin to justice. The plaintiff also requested an extension of the validation period for delivering the subpoena. The New South Wales Supreme Court has ruled to accept the plaintiff's request, adding Luo Gan as one of the defendants, and the time for delivering the statement of claim to the defendant was extended to six months. The court will deliver the statement of claim overseas.

Plaintiff Zhang Cuiying and Attorney Adam Slattery

Truth clarification banners supporting the lawsuit against Jiang outside the NSW Supreme Court

New South Wales human rights lawyer Mr. Adam Slattery was very sympathetic to practitioners facing the inhuman persecution in China. After learning that Ms. Zhang Cuiying, an Australian citizen, was illegally detained and persecuted in China for her belief, he readily accepted the case as Ms. Zhang Cuiying's attorney.

Mr. Slattery said the case has gone smoothly so far. He said that their request is that the court must provide an Australian citizen with compensation for being persecuted in another country. It is against the law that any chief of state claims diplomatic immunity after committing crimes of torture and violating human rights. From the point of view of human rights, such immunity is unacceptable. Mr. Slattery said that we should not only consider this from a judicial point of view, but also from the standpoint of human rights. This is not an issue about the relationships of two countries.

Plaintiff Ms. Zhang Cuiying explained the two reasons for adding defendant Luo Gan to the lawsuit. The first reason: When she returned to China to speak fair words for Falun Gong, and she was detained at the Beijing Detention Center, Luo Gan personally interrogated and persecuted her. She stated that on February 5, 2000, the first day of the lunar Chinese New Year, Luo Gan went to the Beijing Detention Center to interrogate her, accusing Ms. Zhang of going to Tiananmen Square on the lunar New Years' Eve to "disrupt public order and sabotage China's stability and solidarity." When Zhang Cuiying argued back, saying that "Tiananmen Square is the people's square, everybody has the right to go. Someone likes to sing and dance on the square to greet the New Year. Falun Gong practitioners do the exercises on the square, display Falun emblems and Dafa signs, what is wrong with that?" Luo Gan became furious and used vulgar language. Luo forbade several police officers to return home to celebrate the New Year, and ordered them to take turns interrogating Ms. Zhang around the clock.

The second reason for adding Luo Gan to the lawsuit, is that Luo played a leading role in implementing Jiang's genocidal policy against Falun Gong. From 1999 to 2002, he directly participated in drafting policies to escalate the persecution of Falun Gong. At numerous meetings, he directly ordered the political and judiciary departments across China to strengthen the suppression of Falun Gong. He also personally went to different places to oversee and push the suppression of Falun Gong. Wherever Luo Gan went, the cases of detention and torture, including cases of Falun Gong practitioners being tortured to death, would sharply increase. Luo Gan also took advantage of his work as secretary of the Political and Judiciary Committee, and intimidated and enticed government departments, public security and political and judiciary systems to get involved in the persecution. He even "awarded" nationwide criminals for their participation in persecuting Falun Gong, and rewarded the infamous Masanjia Forced Labor Camp with large sums of money. Zhang Cuiying believes that all this evidence clearly shows that Luo Gan has violated the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which China has ratified.

Australian citizen Zhang Cuiying was forcibly detained for eight months in China for practicing Falun Gong and appealing for justice for Falun Gong. In prison, she was tortured, causing her great physical and mental harm. With the concerted efforts of the Australian government and Falun Gong practitioners, Zhang Cuiying was rescued and returned to Australia in November 2000. On September 15, 2004, Zhang Cuiying filed a lawsuit at the New South Wales Supreme Court against the chief culprit in the persecution of Falun Gong, head of the CCP Jiang Zemin, charging him with crimes of genocide and torture.

When the CCP detained Zhang Cuiying at Beijing Detention Center, Luo Gan personally interrogated her, and Luo Gan also played a leading role in implementing Jiang's genocidal policy against Falun Gong practitioners. Therefore, when the court commenced on March 5, 2007, Zhang Cuiying's lawyer, Attorney Adam Slattery, advised adding another defendant to the lawsuit, to bring the head of the "610 Office" Luo Gan, along with chief culprit Jiang Zemin, to justice. At the same time, he submitted to the court legal expert Prof. Yuan Hongbing's testimony, proving that the CCP's judicial system in principle does not accept and hear a civil action regarding Falun Gong issues; once any lawyer wants to defend Falun Gong, he/she would be subjected to the CCP's severe suppression.

According to Washington DC Human Rights and Law Association, Asia Chapter executive officer Chu Wan-chi, from 2002 to 2007, Falun Gong has filed over 50 lawsuits around the world, and more than 70 lawyers in over 30 countries are helping Falun Gong practitioners with these lawsuits. The most famous are the international lawsuits against Jiang Zemin, covering 15 countries, including criminal and civil actions. These lawsuits have caused a great sensation throughout the world.