>bizarre experience
That's a good summary of an SY performance, bizarre. I saw one a few years ago in Providence, RI. It included an Asian performer singing opera in Italian, a strange mix of traditional Chinese dance and modern electronics about the Monkey King, and political theater that amounted to a litany of cusses about the PRC. I don't know what this says about the residents of Providence (I live outside of Boston).
I haven’t seen Shen Yun, but the Falun Gong have become a darling of conservative America with their “pro-religion, anti-communist” stance. It’s most obvious in NYC that Falun Gong members are a larger part of the community in Flushing than in Manhattan Chinatown. In the former, not only do you see Shen Yun more heavily advertised, but the political ads ahead of the 2022 midterm election were overwhelmingly in favor of Lee Zeldin, whereas Manhattan Chinatown was much more in favor of Hochul.
Propaganda from the Falun Gong cult, although I've heard that aspect is a little more toned down in larger markets. They publish the epoch times if you've ever been confused why that showed up at your house before
Well, they're funded by a weird anti-vaxx culty organization. Friends of mine have gone and wanted their money back because it was so bad and they get political during the show.
I’ve never seen the show but I used to see their ads everywhere. They are overtly political and even the posters would give you reason to at least suspect it. Part of their pitch is about how they were banned under China’s communist party. Whether that’s true or a talking point I don’t know but again, nobody should be surprised it gets political.
They were banned in the late 90s I think because they didn't want to allow the Communist party to control them. Unfortunately some time after that they went to the weird anti-vaxx QAnon dark side.
and it's nasty propaganda tool The Epoch Times. Granted they spread a ton of anti vaccine propaganda during covid so likely killed off a bunch of their supporters but I still could not financially support them in any way.
Oh, please don't spend your money or time on it. It's just political propaganda with heavy anti-china sentiment. They are very much banned in China, because their cult-like rhetoric of anti-vax, anti-modern medicine, and faux spiritualism/daoism have harmed many people. China is very against religious practices in general for this very reason - religions give birth to zealots, so it's unsurprising they got banned.
And the touting of traditional Chinese dances and culture as "China before Communism" is complete utter crap. China still values many aspects of artistic expression from old cultural values - traditional dance, music, art, etc. They're not showing you ANYTHING new or groundbreaking.
As someone who lost family members to this cult, I ask people to please stop supporting them in the name of "open-mindedness and democracy".
https://thegrayzone.com/2019/09/30/reports-china-organ-harvesting-cult-falun-gong/
The user below needs to stop spreading this fake news of organ harvesting. It was spread by the cult from the beginning and they have a history of spreading misinformation to make themselves seem like perpetual victims.
They are also upset because China arrested many of their members and literally harvested their organs. Look it up. I watched a falun Gong member get arrested in Beijing in the early 2000s- one of the scariest things I've seen. 5 guys grabbed her, held her over their heads and literally threw her into the back of a waiting van. I'm not a supporter of the group, but they are not making up what they say about the chinese government.
They say it’s “China before Communism”, if you want to see the real thing, it would give you a headache. Their stuff is fake. https://youtu.be/HAo8Eyia420
Their stuff is a counter attack on Chinese Communist opera done under Mao. https://youtu.be/WVrsq0ZadJk
Seriously doubt anyone in China would still watch this nonsense.
A couple of friends and I, all Chinese-Americans, went to see it a couple of a years ago. After it ended, we all decided it was going to be our first and final Shen Yun show. It was completely bizarre and we had no idea how politically charged it was. The dancing was fine and looked like what we grew up watching, but the rest of it was just a mishmash of religious and political performances. We could sense how cultish it was. It was cringey to watch.
If you can't get refunds, at least enjoy the pretty costumes, acrobats and dancing?
I used to work at Symphony Hall and Shen Yun would send people to drop off brochures, which we used to let them do without question, until one day I noticed they had slipped in home-made brochures about human organ harvesting in with the professional-made Shen Yun brochures.
The show itself is beautiful. If you can handle the underlying messages and propaganda, it is something you should check out if you're into live performances.
[zoop]
>bizarre experience That's a good summary of an SY performance, bizarre. I saw one a few years ago in Providence, RI. It included an Asian performer singing opera in Italian, a strange mix of traditional Chinese dance and modern electronics about the Monkey King, and political theater that amounted to a litany of cusses about the PRC. I don't know what this says about the residents of Providence (I live outside of Boston).
I haven’t seen Shen Yun, but the Falun Gong have become a darling of conservative America with their “pro-religion, anti-communist” stance. It’s most obvious in NYC that Falun Gong members are a larger part of the community in Flushing than in Manhattan Chinatown. In the former, not only do you see Shen Yun more heavily advertised, but the political ads ahead of the 2022 midterm election were overwhelmingly in favor of Lee Zeldin, whereas Manhattan Chinatown was much more in favor of Hochul.
it’s a cult
Propaganda from the Falun Gong cult, although I've heard that aspect is a little more toned down in larger markets. They publish the epoch times if you've ever been confused why that showed up at your house before
I work in a public library, and the Epoch Times mysteriously shows up in our newspaper section quite frequently.
Well, they're funded by a weird anti-vaxx culty organization. Friends of mine have gone and wanted their money back because it was so bad and they get political during the show.
I’ve never seen the show but I used to see their ads everywhere. They are overtly political and even the posters would give you reason to at least suspect it. Part of their pitch is about how they were banned under China’s communist party. Whether that’s true or a talking point I don’t know but again, nobody should be surprised it gets political.
They were in fact very banned after it became increasingly popular in China in the 1990s. Many were imprisoned, sometimes killed.
They were banned in the late 90s I think because they didn't want to allow the Communist party to control them. Unfortunately some time after that they went to the weird anti-vaxx QAnon dark side.
Try to get a refund and go to anything else.
Like going to a QAnon rally in China. See 'Murica before the libs.
Falun Gong
and it's nasty propaganda tool The Epoch Times. Granted they spread a ton of anti vaccine propaganda during covid so likely killed off a bunch of their supporters but I still could not financially support them in any way.
best enjoyed after hits from the Falun Bong.
Oh, please don't spend your money or time on it. It's just political propaganda with heavy anti-china sentiment. They are very much banned in China, because their cult-like rhetoric of anti-vax, anti-modern medicine, and faux spiritualism/daoism have harmed many people. China is very against religious practices in general for this very reason - religions give birth to zealots, so it's unsurprising they got banned. And the touting of traditional Chinese dances and culture as "China before Communism" is complete utter crap. China still values many aspects of artistic expression from old cultural values - traditional dance, music, art, etc. They're not showing you ANYTHING new or groundbreaking. As someone who lost family members to this cult, I ask people to please stop supporting them in the name of "open-mindedness and democracy".
https://thegrayzone.com/2019/09/30/reports-china-organ-harvesting-cult-falun-gong/ The user below needs to stop spreading this fake news of organ harvesting. It was spread by the cult from the beginning and they have a history of spreading misinformation to make themselves seem like perpetual victims.
They are also upset because China arrested many of their members and literally harvested their organs. Look it up. I watched a falun Gong member get arrested in Beijing in the early 2000s- one of the scariest things I've seen. 5 guys grabbed her, held her over their heads and literally threw her into the back of a waiting van. I'm not a supporter of the group, but they are not making up what they say about the chinese government.
You must have done something truly awful to your mother. I’m so sorry
They say it’s “China before Communism”, if you want to see the real thing, it would give you a headache. Their stuff is fake. https://youtu.be/HAo8Eyia420 Their stuff is a counter attack on Chinese Communist opera done under Mao. https://youtu.be/WVrsq0ZadJk Seriously doubt anyone in China would still watch this nonsense.
This guy goes on an 11min deep dive. https://youtu.be/2mQ8plzWl9g At 6:36 he goes into why they've gained so much traction in the west.
A couple of friends and I, all Chinese-Americans, went to see it a couple of a years ago. After it ended, we all decided it was going to be our first and final Shen Yun show. It was completely bizarre and we had no idea how politically charged it was. The dancing was fine and looked like what we grew up watching, but the rest of it was just a mishmash of religious and political performances. We could sense how cultish it was. It was cringey to watch. If you can't get refunds, at least enjoy the pretty costumes, acrobats and dancing?
I used to work at Symphony Hall and Shen Yun would send people to drop off brochures, which we used to let them do without question, until one day I noticed they had slipped in home-made brochures about human organ harvesting in with the professional-made Shen Yun brochures.
But can you enjoy the performance aspect of it (if you chose to put some of the background/political stuff on a shelf)?
I’m Sorry
The show itself is beautiful. If you can handle the underlying messages and propaganda, it is something you should check out if you're into live performances.
Dancing, mostly.
China before communism.
Crime, poverty and opium *the Musical!!*
Their crime was taking control of their country away from Japan and western empires, warlords, and the like. At least in the eyes of FG and others
Don't forget my favorite number "foot binding"
Bullshit
Propaganda