Bristol’s biggest theatre has declined to comment on calls to think again about booking a vast Chinese music and dance company, after the group sparked controversy and investigations in the US.
The Shen Yun company is performing for three nights at the Bristol Hippodrome in February, as part of an international tour that has seen an estimated million people around the world see the dance and music extravaganza. The company is based in New York State in the US and has enjoyed considerable success with its performances of traditional Chinese songs, music and dance, becoming a multi-million dollar enterprise.
Shen Yun is directly linked to the Falun Gong movement, a Buddhist-based spiritual practice that was grew rapidly in the 1990s in China, but was then the subject of a Chinese Government crackdown, with a nationwide campaign of suppression and violence.
Its followers outside China try to spread the word about the Falun Gong movement – many Bristolians may have had its newspaper, the Epoch Times, put through their door – and Shen Yun, with its recreation and celebration of traditional Chinese culture, is another extension of the cultural arm of Falun Gong.
Shen Yun’s latest show is entitled ‘China Before Communism’, and those behind the company claim the investigations and reports in New York are part of a move by the Chinese Government to discredit or damage the company. Since last autumn, the New York Times has regularly reported that the authorities in New York State are investigating Shen Yun for its treatment of young performers, with other investigations by the US Attorney’s Office into claims of money laundering and other fraud.
Much of the criticism in the US has come from claims about the way Shen Yun is set up, with followers of Falun Gong volunteering to take part in the company as part of their duty to spread the word about the movement. That has led to calls for the Hippodrome and ATG, the company that runs the theatre, to drop Shen Yun’s booking on February 20-22 this year.
“As a proud Bristolian who acknowledges the city’s historical ties to slavery with a sense of remorse, and as a strong supporter of the Hippodrome, I feel compelled to bring to your attention serious concerns regarding Shen Yun,” one Hippodrome regular, who declined to be named, told Bristol Live.
“In my view, hosting Shen Yun could harm the Hippodrome’s reputation and contradict ATG’s stated commitment to addressing slavery, as referenced in its official statements,” he added, citing ATG’s modern slavery policies.
ATG, the theatre firm that runs the Hippodrome, said it would not be commenting on the concerns, but Shen Yun itself has launched a robust defence of its company, saying the New York Times articles about it, and the authorities’ investigations, are part of a Chinese Government-inspired effort to continue to attack the Falun Gong movement outside of China.
“Our Buddhist-based spiritual practice, Falun Gong, was widely popular in China during the 1990s, receiving awards and praise from even the Chinese government for its health benefits and spiritual teachings,” a spokesperson said. “Yet, because the faith became so popular, the Chinese regime felt threatened, and launched a nationwide campaign of suppression and violence. For the last quarter century, millions have been detained, tortured, or killed. “Throughout these 25 years, volunteers around the world have selflessly donated their time and resources to projects, organizations, and companies that expose this persecution, give voice to victims’ stories, help save the lives of friends and family back home, and preserve the traditional culture of China, which the communist regime has sought to destroy. Shen Yun plays a key role in this larger effort, and that is what drives us.
“Yet, the (New York) Times would have its readers believe that none of the above is a motivating factor nor perhaps even real: a bizarre perspective that disregards the terrible human suffering and belittles the deeply held faith of tens of millions across China, throughout America, and around the world.
“The recent Times articles that have appeared over the past several months are precisely an attack on the faith that drives us and the hard work that characterizes our performance culture,” they added.
“Shen Yun is a brilliant artistic revival and celebration of China’s rich cultural heritage,” they said. “Each performance consists of about 20 pieces, quickly moving from one legend, region, or dynasty to the next. Themes range from the delicate elegance of Tang court ladies to the battlefield heroics of valiant generals, from the timeless philosophical works of Lao-Tzu to spectacular scenes of magical realms. Some pieces also touch upon the topic of today’s China, shedding light on the oppression many experience for their spiritual beliefs, such as Falun Dafa. These tales of courage are often what audience members find the most touching and uplifting.
“Shen Yun’s works convey the extraordinary depth and breadth of genuine Chinese culture, and bring the magnificence of five thousand years of civilization back to life on stage.
Shen Yun tours to some 150 cities around the world each year. From Tokyo to Paris, Sydney to New York, Shen Yun’s live performances garner thunderous applause and accolades from full houses everywhere,” they said. The shows at the Bristol Hippodrome are already sold out.