(Clearwisdom.net) On the afternoon of March 11, 2009, Divine Performing Arts (DPA) International Company staged the second show in Chiayi and the theater was full again. During DPA's two-week tour in Taiwan, word of the show's excellence has spread throughout the entire country.

County Assembly Speaker: DPA Ushers People in the Right Direction

After watching the DPA show, Chiayi County Assembly Speaker Yu Cheng-ta highly praised it. He said, "The realization that DPA's world class show left us with was that regardless of how bad things get, we still should try to improve ourselves as people."

It was the first time Mr. Yu and his wife watched the DPA show, but they were deeply touched by the magnificent performance and its message. "Thank you to DPA for ushering us in the right direction," Mr. Yu added.

Mr. Yu said, "Before I decided to see the show, my colleague in the Assembly told me that I would regret it if I didn't go see it. It turned out that what he said was true. After watching the show, I realized how I should proceed with my life."

While Mr. Yu was praising the DPA show, his wife smiled and nodded her head in agreement of what her husband said.

After seeing the show and having a new perspective on life, Mrs. Yu told the reporter her own feelings. She said, "The DPA show has helped us further understand the profoundness and broadness of the 5000-year-old Chinese culture. People nowadays seem to have long forgotten the concept of compassion. DPA's program seems to lead us and inspire us to bring back the long-lost concept of compassion. Everyone should come to appreciate DPA's magnificence and gracefulness."

"Human beings are lost in delusion and have forgotten the concept of compassion. This show seems to bring back this concept and kindheartedness. It may help us return to our true self."

Mrs. Yu especially liked the piece The Udumbara's Bloom. She explained that the DPA show has helped her come to realize divine messages in the program, and that she was indeed deeply touched by the show. The masters of ceremonies explained that according to Buddhist scriptures, Udumbara flowers bloom once every three thousand years. When the Udumbara blossoms again, it is to mark the return of the Holy King Who Turns the Wheel rectifying the Dharma in the world. In recent years, Udumbara flowers have surprisingly appeared in various places around the world, so she believed that DPA's dissemination of this auspicious news to the public will bring blessings and hope for people around the world.

Commenting on people's dire situation today, she said, "They are worried too much about their own interests, about power and other trivial matters in their lives."

Mr. Yu added, "Each piece of the program was very impressive. More people in Chiayi should come to the show so as to improve our cultural standard. DPA's presentation here can enhance the quality of the cultural activities in Chiayi County and help improve our cultural environment."

Internationally Renowned Calligrapher: Holding breath to enjoy the superb performance

Internationally renowned calligrapher Chen Yue-shan, who was the first place winner of the Japanese Calligraphy Public Exhibition, said after watching the show, "The performance is just like the two characters of the DPA name ["Shen Yun" in Chinese], very splendid. Each gesture and each song demonstrates the superb performance."

Eighty-one-year-old Mr. Chen generally cannot sit too long to watch performances. But it was an exception for the DPA show, "I cannot sit for two hours at my age. But for the two and a half hours I was reluctant to blink. I stared at the stage. Each program was very good."

Mr. Chen's calligraphy is highly praised. His calligraphic works are collected by the Taiwanese President's office, the White House, and former South African President Mandela. He said any excellent culture should be promoted and spread worldwide. He said, "Today's show is the best among all performances on Chinese culture I have seen and also the most valuable one among all art performances I have seen."

Mr. Chen's favorite programs were The Legend of the Brush and the vocal performance by Yang Jiansheng. He also said, "Everyone liked the show. Audience members held their breath and watched the superb performance."
Philharmonic Association Chair: Experience the profound connotation from the music

Lu Shufen, chairperson of Philharmonic Association in Chiayi City, Taiwan, watched the performance of the New York-based Divine Performing Arts at the National Chung Hsing University on March 11.

Ms. Lu, a music lover, has founded the Philharmonic Society in Chiayi City. She often organizes concerts for music students to gain experience in performing arts.

Upon seeing the show, she said, "DPA's performance was mostly dance-oriented. The choreography manifested inner meaning and context through dance and music for the audience to easily understand the message of the show.

"For example, Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution displayed persecution of people with belief. I noticed that many in the audience were moved to tears. It truly was touching. The performances were unveiled in such a clear and apparent way that the audience could effortlessly know what the performances were trying to convey."

"[DPA's] usage of music and dance could open up profound imagination," she said. She said that everyone obtained something different from the show.

Ms. Lu said that as someone who knows about music, she was able to have a "deeper feeling" after watching the show.

Director of Symphonic Band: DPA promotes Chinese music to world stage

Chiayi holds an annual International Band Festival and wished to promote music education in schools and in Chiayi as the capital of wind band music. There were five groups participating in the first festival and nearly one hundred in the most recent one. Symphonic band music is an important part of arts and culture in Chiayi.

Director Wu Ping-ru of the Chiayi Symphonic Band admired the DPA show, especially the programs on history and current society. He said, "I felt that the show presented a message of freedom of belief. Suppression of freedom is wrong. Good belief should be shared with everyone and should not be restricted."

Music has no national boundaries, but Chinese music has not been recognized by the whole world. DPA's show presents Chinese music to the world. Mr. Wu highly commended it, "Currently symphonic music is mainly western music. But the DPA show presents Chinese music to the world stage and has the western audience understand and accept it. It is very important."