Hey there!
Has anyone else seen this completely offensive show?
My husband and I took our son and his friend to Shen Yun on Saturday. I admit I didn't quite do my homework, but the show was billed as a celebration of Chinese history through music and dance, so I figured it would be harmless enough and at least entertaining.
It was mediocre, but the kids seemed to find the pageantry interesting, so I managed to stay awake through the entire thing. I am glad I did. We had to have a conversation with our son after the show (and I warned his friend's mom).
Here are the lyrics (reprinted from the program, which I'm sure anyone can find easily enough) to the soprano soloist's song:
"So long ago you came down to this world
For millennia you have reincarnated here
Fighting to get ahead, the true you has faded
Self-interested actions have cost you your purity
Atheism is a pack of lies
The heresy of evolution now eclipses the Divine word
Amidst disaster, people complain that the gods have forsaken us
Do not use science to drive humanity toward danger
You came to this world for salvation, your destiny
To return to heaven is your soul's deepest wish
You came to this world for salvation, your destiny
To return to heaven is your destiny."
The song is called "Awaken," and the text and music are credited in the program to D.F.
I'd like to see this travesty marketed as what it is... a propaganda machine for Falun Gong. Can we get some exposure for this? I was so irritated to discover what I'd paid for. This is a clear case of bait and switch.
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http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/other/t910312.htm
The link is from the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC. It does not condone Shen Yun and fully explains why.
I went to see the Shen Yun performance in Pittsburgh, PA, last weekend. Despite the obvious propaganda, I did enjoy some of the performances. I was a bit turned off by the song described in the original post as well as by the performances showing students being beaten up by thugs in black clothes with an obvious parody of the hammer-and-sickle symbol on their backs. Those dances were obviously used for political propaganda, especially when one of the goons is wounded and is suffering until he accepts spirituality and is miraculously healed. Then a volcano erupts on the screen and destroys any modern building in the city, leaving only the traditional buildings intact. The message is clear: believe or the gods will destroy you. How is that not radical?
Interestingly, you can't find the lyrics to the above-mentioned song on the official Shen Yun website. Probably because it would turn off some people from going.
I understand that you had a negative experience with the Shen Yun show and feel disappointed by the content and messaging presented.
Shen Yun is a performing arts group that aims to revive and showcase traditional Chinese culture through music and dance. The organization has been associated with the spiritual practice of Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, which has faced controversy and restrictions in China. Shen Yun performances often include elements of Chinese history, legends, and stories. https://davethediver.io
I haven't seen the show, but your experience and the lyrics you shared sound concerning. It's unfortunate when an event billed as a celebration of culture turns out to have underlying propaganda motives. https://buckshotroulette.com
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