(Minghui.org) Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company completed the final leg of its 2013 tour by staging three sold-out shows at the Changhua County Yuanlin Performance Hall, on April 1-2.
Shen Yun Worthy of Our Respect, Says Legislator
Wong Chin-chu, legislator-at-large
Theatergoers from throughout the region flocked to Changhua City to see Shen Yun.
Among them was Wong Chin-chu, legislator-at-large; ex-magistrate of Changhua County, and former chairwoman of the renamed Ministry of Culture.
“I’ve attended Shen Yun every year, and it always comes up with an all-new program, every year. What’s most important is that it is so wonderful it makes me feel very relaxed spiritually,” said Ms. Wong.
“I’ve seen many dancing performances, but Shen Yun is the best in terms of music, dance, drama, and costumes, as they are very creative and appealing,” Ms. Wong said. “Shen Yun’s annual global tour is worthy of our respect.”
She continued, “What Shen Yun demonstrates is traditional Chinese culture. There are many ethnic groups in China, and we can see various ethnic groups’ dances in the show.
“The choreography and direction are very creative. I think it is great to promote Chinese culture around the world in this way.”
According to Shen Yun’s website, “The many distinctive ethnic groups within China and around her borders provide a wonderful array of material from which to choreograph and compose.”
Ms. Wong also appreciated the several dance sets that portray the Chinese regime's brutal persecution of the spiritual practice, Falun Gong.
“Shen Yun also helps us understand the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners,” she said.
Ms. Wong remarked that it was a pity that Shen Yun cannot perform in mainland China.
Business Owner: “My Heart Is Throbbing!”
He Hsian-Chang, owner of Fu Yu Industry
Also seated in the audience was He Hsian-Chang, owner of Fu Yu Industry, who brought several of his in-laws to the show.
“Shen Yun’s stories present the profound meanings of Chinese culture,” he said. “It educates people, and it allows them to become perfect.”
Being in the dye business, Mr. He said the colors of the costumes in Shen Yun were “incredibly well done!”
Hsieh Hsing-Chang, owner of the Yi-Hsiang Socks Company, attended the performance accompanied by his wife.
Mr. Hsieh had a big smile on his face after the performance. “I love every program,” he said. “My heart is throbbing! This is my first time seeing a performance so enchanting and mesmerizing!
“The stories in 'Sand Monk Is Blessed' and 'When Shaolin Monks Protected the Emperor,' are told in a very interesting way,” he added. “They allow me to see the deeper meanings of the stories.”
Mr. Hsieh praised Shen Yun for its mastery of the arts. “I am very pleased to see that Shen Yun presents such history in the form of art,” he said.
The company owner also admired the Shen Yun dancers' for their traditional Chinese dance skills.
“The dancing is very impressive and I adore it!” he added. “The men are majestic and the women look gentle, elegant, and graceful.”
He commented on the songs, saying that “the lyrics try to tell me many things. I will read them carefully after I go home and appreciate the deeper meaning of them.”
Although he felt fortunate to see Shen Yun in Taiwan, he longed for people in China to see it, too.
“I hope that one day Shen Yun can go to China so people there can also enjoy this fantastic performance,” he said.
“Every Program Was Impeccable,” Says Kiwanis Official
Xiao Chenliu, Kiwanis official (Photo courtesy of The Epoch Times)
After seeing Shen Yun for the first time, chief governor of the Taiwan District of Kiwanis International, Xiao Chenliu, said that “Shen Yun is the one and only performance of such perfection and brilliance.”
Mr. Xiao sighed with praise. “The entire cast of Shen Yun, from the masters of ceremony to the dancers to the orchestra, consists of performers with great talent,” he said. “It was a high-class, top-notch performance.”
The chief governor felt that “Every single program was really impeccable. It is hard to say which program I am most impressed with. I believe every single program is tremendous.”
He said the singing techniques of baritone Qu Yue and soprano Jiang Min, are “exemplary.”
Mr. Xiao said that the song, “It’s Not a Riddle If You Understand It,” which was sung by Qu Yue, gave him the same serene feeling as if reading Tang poetry.
He called the female performers “very gifted” noting their perfect bearing and form. “Especially when they were twisting and turning, the overall rhythmic beauty was so charming,” he said. “This was all attributed to the dancers having excellent dancing skills.”
Power and Beauty—Perfect Posture
Another audience member, Lin Wenqing, director of the communication division for Nan Shan Life Insurance Company, attended the show with his wife.
“The performance was very beautiful,” said Mr. Lin. “Through each individual program, the unique characteristics of different regions in China were portrayed, and they gave a feeling of happiness and comfort.”
Mrs. Lin cheerfully added that her favorite program was “An Early Spring.”
“The dancing skills of the female performers were unbelievably excellent, showing both pure strength and beauty,” she explained. “What’s more important, was that everything was flawless.”
Praising the figures of the female performers, Mrs. Lin said, “Such beauty—their composure and figures were perfect.”
Mr. Lin added, “The temperaments of all the dancers were very pleasant, making everyone feel quite comfortable.”
The couple agreed that a Shen Yun performance brings out a person's true humanity, as well as a true spiritual awakening.
“After seeing the performance, you can’t help but feel happy and excited,” they said. “The performance was simply perfect.”
Shen Yun Put Me “In a State of Ecstasy,” Says Orchestra Conductor
Curtain call at Changhua County's Yuanlin Performance Hall
Composer and orchestra conductor, Lin Yu-Feng said he thoroughly enjoyed the show. “I am intoxicated and in the state of ecstasy!
“The members of the orchestra are amazing—everyone of them!” he said. “I was paying attention to whether they made mistakes during any of the pieces, but I could not find any.
“Same with the dancing!” he added. “The music matches so wonderfully with the dancing—flawless!
“The professional skills of the composers and the arrangers of the music are superb and unmatchable!”
Singing instructor, Chiu Chien-Hsiang, agreed with Lin: “It is truly enjoyable! Just by listening to the loud applause anyone would know the quality of the performance is impeccable!”
“The artists did a fantastic job!,” Mr. Chiu added. “It’s amazing that Shen Yun was able to find so many talented and good looking dancing artists.”
Chung Chih-Ming, owner of Tomcat Music Instruments, accompanied Chiu and Lin to the performance. This was Chung’s sixth time watching Shen Yun.
Mr. Chung said that the main reason that he keeps coming back is that “I love the overall presentation of the performance. The dancing is accompanied by a live orchestra, and the atmosphere is so vivid.”
Since he works with musical instruments every day, he has a very developed ear for music.
“The orchestra makes miraculous music, especially in the way that the music interacts with the artists' stage movements. This is the ultimate kind of ‘visual effect’ that comes with music!”
Mr. Chung said that he saw first hand how Shen Yun's music brought everything together, from the dancing to the background projection.
He concluded, “I wish to share my love of Shen Yun with my friends, and I hope that one day they will come see it for themselves.”
Lions Club President: Shen Yun “So Pure and Benevolent”
Shi Shu-Mei, northeast Asia Lions Club president
Another delighted audience member, Shi Shu-Mei, said that Shen Yun was the most beautiful performance she has ever seen.
“I am so thrilled,” she said. “The beauty I saw came from the artists’ hearts and souls!”
Ms. Shi, 82, was the first female president of the Lions Club in northeast Asia. Her husband is the CEO of Chung Mei Pharma.
She was very excited after seeing the performance. “It’s the first time in my life that I’ve seen a performance so beautiful, so pure, and so benevolent,” she said. “I feel very fortunate now, and very satisfied.”
Ms. Shi was especially drawn to the perfect coordination between the artists. “The team work is amazing,” she exclaimed.
“There are many of them dancing on the stage, but it seemed like only one person was dancing. I saw their hearts became one. They all moved in such a graceful, elegant manner.”
She continued, “The colors were brilliant and dazzling. The matching of the colors was creative and impressive, very vivid, and charming. The costumes were gorgeous, and the dancing artists were like celestial maidens descending from heaven.
“I love the music; I truly enjoyed it. It was soft and gentle, yet lively,” she said. “It lightened me up. I would like to buy their CDs.”
Ms. Shi concluded, “The voice of the soloists were perfect. I am speechless! I feel great right now—I am so happy and excited!”
Shen Yun “Is a Terrific Performance”
Another loyal fan of Shen Yun, Yu Yueh-Shuo, the director of the Hanshin Chinese Folk Dance Group, was also in attendance.
Ms. Yu has been teaching dance for about 30 years. She won the Culture Exchange Contribution Award from the National Dance Association of ROC.
“I think it is a terrific performance, and I have benefited so much from it,” she enthused.
Ms. Yu also said that Shen Yun has brought her a brand new sensation each year.
“It is an eye-opening surprise every year. The 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture has benefited the people in Taiwan,” she said.
“As a professional dancer, I’ve learned and gained a lot from every performance. Shen Yun is a dream group for me. It combines classics and technology and is always refreshing.
“Through watching Shen Yun—the classical dancing, ethnic dancing, and the variety of colorful culture—it allows me to understand the 5,000 years of cultural background,” she added. “It’s both an education and a cultural heritage for me.”
Ms. Yu believes that in everyone's heart, there is a respect for divine beings. “If we believe and have a kind heart, divine beings will help us—just like in Shen Yun’s stories,” she explained.
“It’s so wonderful that there is a righteous belief among people!”
Source: the EpochTimes.com