(Minghui.org) My daughter was admitted to Fei Tian College in 2008 when she was 17. After she graduated, she joined the Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra. Seventeen years have passed, and looking back, my wife and I are grateful for how being part of Shen Yun helped her.
As Chinese raising our children outside of China, we hope our children learn the Chinese language as well as China’s millennia-old values of kindness, honesty, tolerance, and responsibility. Without the right environment, however, educating children the right way and teaching them Chinese is very difficult.
But Fei Tian College and Shen Yun are different. They offer classes in Chinese and guide students with traditional Chinese culture as part of their core curriculum. That’s why many Chinese parents like to send their children to Fei Tian and Shen Yun.
I studied and worked at Western colleges. In my experience, college campuses are increasingly influenced by modern trends instead of traditional values. When my daughter began applying for college, my wife and I were worried, because drinking, drugs, and sex have become major problems at many colleges.
Fortunately, Fei Tian College was accepting applications when my daughter was applying at different colleges. Fei Tian was her first choice, and she was admitted. She declined offers from other renowned colleges and began her journey with Shen Yun.
My daughter met the top requirements for college admission in April 2008. She also received a conditional acceptance letter from a famous university and was waiting to complete the additional requirements. At that time, she saw a notice on the Minghui.org website to enroll for the Shen Yun symphony orchestra and she decided to apply. She began playing violin when she was six and passed the certification for various levels. My wife and I thought violin was just a hobby and never thought she would choose it as a career.
As a young Falun Dafa practitioner, my daughter followed the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Quiet and mature for her age, she seldom caused us any trouble, so my wife and I respected her opinion. We helped her register and recorded sample performances of her playing the violin.
Soon after she submitted her application, my daughter received a notice from Fei Tian for an onsite interview. She went to the U.S. by herself and was invited to attend Fei Tian. My wife and I were very happy because our daughter would be part of Shen Yun. We no longer needed to worry about her picking up bad habits—instead, her education would be grounded in traditional culture and she could learn Chinese.
Before our daughter went to Fei Tian, we had no idea that the tuition would be waived. In fact, she never needed to pay tuition or room and board. Plus, she even received a stipend each month. We only had to purchase plane tickets so she could visit us.
Education can be expensive. After graduating from primary school, my daughter was admitted to a well-known all-girls private school (with a full scholarship) and several public schools. Because I changed jobs, we moved to a new city and she was fortunately admitted to another renowned all-girls public school. Although we didn’t have to pay tuition, we had to pay for her school uniform and food. If she went to a regular college, the tuition, fees, meals, dorm, and daily expenses would run to thousands of dollars.
On the other hand, Fei Tian and Shen Yun take good care of all their students who are artists in training. It’s hard to find an environment like this.
Because my daughter spoke English when she attended primary and secondary school, her Chinese was limited. Although she read Zhuan Falun (Falun Dafa’s main book) in Chinese, her conversation included English words and she had difficulty writing in Chinese. Many Chinese parents have the same concern but feel they can’t do anything about it. Although some parents tried to change the situation, the children seldom had time to practice speaking Chinese and they soon lost interest.
Chinese is taught at Shen Yun and traditional Chinese culture is a mandatory course. In this environment, my daughter’s Chinese skills quickly improved. The first year after she joined Shen Yun, she wrote an article in Chinese about her experiences. We were surprised by how quickly her Chinese improved. Our daughter also learned a lot about Chinese history and traditional culture.
My daughter started to practice Falun Dafa with us when she was six years old. Our friends said we were lucky because she listened to us. But as our only child, we also noticed she only cared about her own things and wasn’t willing to help others. Because we practice Falun Dafa, we hoped she would do better according to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
After she arrived at Fei Tian, my daughter spent most of her time studying and improving her professional skills, and we knew she was happy and productive. After she joined the Shen Yun tours, she occasionally sent us photos she took in the different cities where the company performed.
My daughter returns home during her summer breaks every year. She went from being a girl who didn’t care about anyone to a young professional—genuine, open-minded, and willing to help others. We were impressed by these positive changes. She married a Falun Dafa practitioner in the U.S., and my daughter and her husband support each other and treat their parents well.
It’s been 17 years, and my daughter loves Shen Yun even more—she cherishes her time with the company. In the orchestra, she fulfills her duties well and cares about every member. Even during their breaks, she keeps in touch with other orchestra members and provides support whenever needed. My wife and I are happy to see how Shen Yun helped our daughter evolve—from a young girl growing up in Western society to someone who cherishes traditional values and cares about others. How can we not praise such an opportunity?
I’ve met many parents who are concerned about their children’s education. A friend from Vietnam said he was shocked when he learned that sex education was part of his five-year-old daughter’s schooling. He’s begun to wonder if his daughter should go to a school that taught traditional values.
There are even more things to worry about in secondary school and college. Because individualism and liberalism are promoted excessively, many children are pulled further and further away from traditional values. Many parents are worried and feel helpless.
According to San Zi Jing (Three Character Classic), “Raising a child without education is the parents’ fault; teaching a child without putting in enough effort is the teacher’s dereliction of duty.”
I feel that many schools in Western society no longer guide or educate children well. Fei Tian and Shen Yun, on the other hand, educate youth very well.
My wife and I have seen how our daughter became a better person and artist. She is kind and her smile is genuine. We are very thankful because Shen Yun helped our family and has charted a path of education that revives mankind’s traditional culture.