Shen Yun’s Gift to American Culture

(Minghui.org) After Shen Yun’s debut at Radio City Music Hall in February 2006, Billboard magazine noted its impact on the entertainment industry and ranked it 7th among the top shows that year.

Almost 20 years have passed, and Shen Yun has grown significantly. During the 2024 tour season, eight Shen Yun companies gave performances in nearly 200 cities in more than 20 countries. The more than 800 performances were attended by over one million people. Many consider New York-based Shen Yun an unofficial “Cultural Ambassador” for the U.S. 

Since it was established over 200 years ago, the U.S. has been viewed as the “land of opportunity.” Surveys show that what bring Americans together are our shared values and our Bill of Rights. As a nation, we are defined by our American values and throughout our history we have upheld our rights. 

Studies indicate that the three main components of American culture are individual freedom, equality of opportunity, and the possibility to attain a better life (or what we call the American Dream). To achieve these, people need self-reliance, fair competition, and hard work. This is exactly what Shen Yun, a private non-profit arts group, has followed. 

Shen Yun presents traditional values by showcasing China’s authentic culture. With little support from government or other funding organizations, the artists have worked diligently to achieve the highest artistic standards. The artistic and spiritual levels that Shen Yun has achieved in such a short time are remarkable. 

Made in the USA: A Performance That Reflects China’s Traditional Culture

It’s interesting that a top-level show that showcases traditional Chinese culture originated in the United States. 

Throughout its 5,000-year history, China created a glorious epic and is one of the longest, continuous civilizations in the world. Chinese civilization also made great contributions to other civilizations and to humanity as a whole. However, after the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took power decades ago, the regime has not only suppressed people physically and economically, but also systematically silenced intellectuals and destroyed ancient Chinese culture. After the “Anti-Rightist Campaign” (in the 1950s) and the “Cultural Revolution” (1966 to 1976), few people dare to speak their minds, and China’s traditional culture was nearly wiped out. 

The tragedies continued—notably the Tiananmen Square Massacre (in 1989) and the persecution of Falun Gong (1999 to present). Some people said that since the CCP is communist, they understand the CCP’s suppression of any democratic movements, but they cannot understand why the regime would suppress a peaceful meditation group that follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. If we view the CCP’s ideology, the suppression comes from its core value of class struggle, brutality, and lies—the regime cannot tolerate voices that differ from its own, especially voices that promote traditional values in any form.

But the United States of America is the opposite. From the Mayflower journey in 1620 to the American Revolution, from the United States Constitution in 1789 to the motto “In God We Trust” on U.S. currency, America is a land that fosters freedom and safeguards humanity. This is why those who wish to present China’s traditional culture can flourish on American soil. 

After the discrimination, arrest, detention, and/or torture they faced in communist China, Falun Gong practitioners who came to America hold those traditional values near and dear to their hearts. Inspired by America’s founding fathers, they wished to contribute to the U.S., including sharing their authentic Chinese culture through Shen Yun Performing Arts. 

Had there been no CCP, and no persecution of Falun Gong, Shen Yun would have arisen in China—and it likely would have been on a larger scale and reached even more people. But to some degree, the current situation also reflects the challenges mankind faces. 

Fortunately, the United States government has recognized what has been happening in China and has taken some action. In its 2023 annual report issued in May 2024, the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) listed several cases of suppression against Falun Gong in China to expose the brutality of the persecution. It also urged that congress pass legislation against the forced organ harvesting of prisoners of conscience in China. One month later, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4132, the Falun Gong Protection Act, to condemn the persecution in China. But this legislation has not yet been passed in the Senate. 

Shen Yun Has Broadened American Culture

Since its debut in 2006, Shen Yun has given over 10,000 performances. Audience members are impressed and many repeatedly see the show every year. Many professionals have praised Shen Yun and have called it the highest level of music and art. 

Self-reliance

Shen Yun started with very limited resources: a mountain area with a stretch of forest and a modest house. How did Mr. Li Hongzhi, artistic director of Shen Yun and founder of Falun Gong, achieve Shen Yun’s success? In the Minghui article titled “Special Report | Our Master”, a practitioner who has worked with Mr. Li for a long time described him as follows: “He has an extraordinary strength of will, leads a simple life, and has clear goals.

“Since there have been many historical lessons about the dangers of money, he [Mr. Li] never takes any money for himself. Instead, he sets the example and teaches everyone the importance of frugality,” the article continued. Despite limited resources and support, that is how Shen Yun was able to grow from one company to eight companies over the course of 19 years. Brick by brick, participants built their own rehearsal hall, theater, and the artists’ and staff living areas. 

Shen Yun revives China’s glorious, traditional culture and presents it at a high artistic level, from New York, to throughout the U.S. and around the world. 

That is why, when Japanese photographer Kurokawa Tsutomu and videographer Sugihara Kazuma watched the show in Nagoya on December 26, they said they were surprised to see so many of the world’s top-level dancers together, performing in perfect harmony on the same stage. They added that it was very rare to see such an excellent performance. 

Similarly, after Japanese composer Dejima Tatsuya watched the show on January 4, 2025, he said not only was the music magnificent, so were the visual effects, colors, dance expressiveness, and more. Amazed by the production, he said he would recommend Shen Yun to his colleagues in the music industry as well as friends and family, telling them that Shen Yun is a must-see.

Yanqing Lu, Associate Professor of Art and Design Department at the National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan, agrees. “As soon as the curtains opened and the gong sounded, clouds from the heavenly realms appeared before us. The grandeur was overwhelming, and the artistic layout inside was so expansive,” she said. “As an art scholar myself, I believe everyone should possess a certain level of literacy in dance, drama, music, visual arts, and interdisciplinary studies. Shen Yun turns these expectations into reality.

“Although today’s time was short, I am grateful to see such exquisite performances, all executed in unison. What we often see is edited; it is not live. But Shen Yun is different, so I am deeply moved,” she continued. “I believe Shen Yun can inspire people to approach all future matters with a broad mind. 

“In the art world, every artist must convey their uniqueness, but what Shen Yun conveys is universality,” said Ms. Lu.

Thom Russo, a multi-Grammy award-winning music producer, watched the show on January 19, 2025, in Los Angeles. “Absolutely fantastic,” he said. “Yes, on all levels, it was incredible. The orchestra was pristine. All the compositions, everything. It was amazing. Absolutely amazing.”

In particular, he found that the blending of classical Western and ancient Chinese instruments “worked incredibly well” during the presentation of five millennia of Chinese civilization. “Amazing. It was so much content in two hours that I’m overwhelmed with the information—and all in a wonderful way,” he continued, adding that through the show, he was “uplifted and moved emotionally.”

Spiritual Elevation

Like Mr. Russo, other audience members also found the Shen Yun performance very inspiring on a spiritual level in addition to the high artistic level. 

After watching the show in April 2024, Herbert Stupp, editor-in-chief and founder of the Gipperten website, and Commissioner of the NYC Department for the Aging under former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, praised the performance as “positive and uplifting.”

“This is a tremendous program with just brilliant actors and dancers, and I know we’re not supposed to call them acrobats, but they have acrobatic talents stemming from Chinese dance. And the message was just so positive and uplifting, like a direct rebuttal to the horrors under communist China today,” he explained. “They put on a tremendous performance of music, singing, and dance that also stressed the importance of the Supreme Being, which obviously the communist Chinese try to suppress wherever they can.”

Likewise, Trombonist Emanuele Breda commended Shen Yun after watching the show on January 16 in Milan, Italy, “This is an incredible effort. Conveying a divine message in a not-too-obvious way.

“My sense is that there is a master who wants us to understand: all of humanity is one family. The origin of human beings was originally very clear, but everything in today’s society is very confusing. However, in their [Shen Yun artists’] hearts and souls, this is very clear, and they feel that their mission is to remind people of this great origin of mankind,” he added.

“I believe that 90% of the audience are amazed by the colors and dance of the performance. But on a deeper level, their souls are also awakened,” he said. “This is a spiritual celebration.”

Pure Kindness and Beauty: A Gift from the Divine

During the uncertainty—and sometimes chaos—of modern society, many people feel lost. By showcasing traditional values, Shen Yun has inspired people across continents and provides hope. 

Aristotle once said, “Beauty is the gift of God.” Many people who’ve seen Shen Yun feel that it has enriched and broadened American culture. It reminds us of the importance of traditional values and the common good—helping us better understand ourselves and society and move towards a brighter future.

Isn’t this a blessing to America and mankind?