ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—Although China has changed constantly during its 5,000 years of history, nothing has changed the country more drastically than the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Shen Yun Performing Arts is striving to let the world see once again, that great nation.
“I found Shen Yun was really a testimony to the true nature of what China could be if they were given an opportunity to be free, an opportunity to have a true Chinese culture that goes back thousands and thousands of years,” said retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who once served in the Asia Pacific Theater.
This was Mr. Flynn’s first time seeing New York-based Shen Yun, and he was struck by Shen Yun’s truthful depiction of past and present-day China.
“This is my first time seeing it, and I was absolutely inspired. I think it’s a miracle, actually. It’s a very brilliant way to show the true culture of China,” he said.
He marveled at the way Shen Yun was able to condense 5,000 years of Chinese history into a two-hour performance.
“Shen Yun takes 5,000 years and brings it to life. … You’re going to understand 5,000 years of this beautiful culture in a couple of hours—it went by too fast,” said Mr. Flynn.
As someone who has studied Chinese history and culture extensively, Mr. Flynn shared his thoughts on how the CCP is quite the opposite of Shen Yun.
“I think what we see from the Chinese Communist Party is just the opposite of what Shen Yun is really trying to inspire the rest of the world to understand,” he expressed.
Shen Yun’s artists are trained in classical Chinese dance, one of the most expressive dance systems in the world. The stories told through this dance form truly impressed Mr. Flynn.
“There were 10 or 12 different stories. Each one of them was totally different, but they all blended together in this beautiful culture that I think that the American people need to see more of,” said Mr. Flynn.
Although the CCP has only been in power for a little over a decade, Americans and the world seem to have all but forgotten the 5,000 years that came before it.
Reporting by NTD and Maria Han.
