(Clearwisdom.net) Yan Shuxin and his wife, Lin, arrived at the Orpheum Theatre on January 25 to attend the fourth local performance of the Chinese New Year Spectacular, presented by the Divine Performing Arts.
Yan Shuxin (first from left), his daughter (second left), and his wife (first on right)
Mr. Yan, a physicist from Emeryville, learned about the Spectacular from The Epoch Times newspaper. He and his whole family braved the rain to attend the show.
Still excited about the show, Mr. Yan said, "Each dance is unique and the performers are masters of their crafts. I just witnessed authentic Chinese art!"
"I very much enjoyed each and every program," added Ms. Lin, "They are so artistic and express the truth, goodness, and beauty of human nature. It's different from Mainland Chinese groups.
"This show has restored ancient Chinese culture--the exquisite and profound Chinese culture. The Divine Performing Arts was able to do that. It brought back traditional history [in a condensed form] through dance, music, and costume. The costumes are breathtaking! It's so completely Chinese, it's something you cannot find in Mainland China."
Mr. Yan said, "Traditional Chinese culture has been destroyed in Mainland China. It's nowhere to be seen. Falun Gong's appeals are peaceful, similar to Martin Luther King and his civil rights movement. I believe 'Truth-Compassion-Tolerance' will take root deep within people's hearts and [Falun Gong] will receive justice."
Both Yan and his wife attended universities in China. They lived through the Cultural Revolution and were sent to remote parts of the country, like most people their age. They left "footprints" in many provinces and cities and had different life experiences. They left Tianjin for America in 1985 and 1987, respectively.
Ms. Lin said, "When we were college students, the entire education system was paralyzed and destroyed, and traditional culture and history were overwritten. [As a result], we didn't learn any of the 'real' stuff. It's great that we could see this Spectacular, because it communicates the inner meaning of the priceless, true treasures of Chinese culture.
"Our daughter thinks this is different from the American shows we've seen in the past and it makes her proud to be Chinese. Other Chinese shows alter the 'Chinese flavor' in order to cater to Westerners. This is an outstanding performance. It actually energized me."
