Taiwan Looks Forward to Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular (Photos)

Home > News & Events > Shen Yun Performing Arts

Taiwan Looks Forward to Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular (Photos)

December 19, 2008 | By Wang Han-ching

(Clearwisdom.net) On December 19, 2008, Divine Performing Arts New York Company, Divine Performing Arts Touring Company, and Divine Performing Arts International Company will perform in Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Fort Lauderdale in the United States, marking to start of the Divine Performing Arts (DPA) 2008-2009 global tour. Ticket sales in Taiwan started on December 1, 2008, and within five days, nearly 20,000 tickets were sold. So far, more people are buying higher priced tickets than last year.

DPA's Chinese Spectacular is praised as a world class show. It blends Chinese traditional dancing, integrated with high-tech backdrops, marvelous costumes, music, and outstanding performance.

Ms. Annette Lu (in white coat), former Vice President of Taiwan, attended the Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular at the Taipei International Convention Center

Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular plays to a full house. This was the third show in Tainan

An audience member is moved to tears by a touching scene in the Chinese Spectacular

An audience member is moved to tears by a scene in the Chinese Spectacular

"I hope that the graceful Chinese culture can be passed down."

Former Taiwanese Vice President Annette Lu praised the show during a special interview with NTDTV Asia. Ms. Lu said, "Divine Performing Arts presents the best show. I hope that the graceful Chinese culture can be passed down." She indicated that along with the progress of modern technology and material gains, human beings have gradually lost the most basic things. Vice President Lu said, "Why have so many virtues disappeared? I feel it is a pity. Thus it is essential to have a movement to uplift moral values, to respect Heaven and Earth, to love people, to seek truth, kindness and grace."

Artist Huang Bing-wen: "The dances are natural and smooth, like floating clouds and flowing water"

Huang Bing-wen, a calligrapher, loves the arts and practicing Tai Chi. He said he encouraged his daughter to learn Chinese dance when she was little, and he often took her to dance performances. He said the show represented China's divine culture and Chinese classical dance technique: "The dancers' movements are so natural and smooth, like floating clouds and flowing water. They danced as if their movements were led by Buddhas, Daos and Gods, taking us to a higher realm. They not only conveyed to us their inner purity and kindness, but also struck a wonderful rapport with the audience. I think the audience could feel the harmonious atmosphere, and, at the same time, see the dignity of traditional culture."

Huang Bing-wen is an expert in calligraphy. He believes that Chinese arts, whether calligraphy or other art forms, have very high artistic ideals. The Spectacular is the same. Mr. Huang explained, "Sometimes it shows a brightness to the audience, and sometimes it shows a sense of beauty of ancient times." He also said that the forms of expression and spiritual connotation in Chinese arts were very often implicit, yet with profound meaning. "This is what we see in these dancers. Just like the name of the company - 'Divine.' They have demonstrated a very high artistic realm in a most appropriate and perfect manner."

Huang Bing-wen and his family

"It was a spirit-lifting artistic performance"

Having watched the Holiday Wonders show presented by DPA in New York, Tainan City Mayor Hsu Tain-Tsair praised the show as being filled with magnificence and innovation. Mr. Hsu said, "I was very impressed by Divine Performing Arts. The show combined the values and meaning of art as well as our culture. So it was very inspiring and increased our understanding of our culture. It was a spirit-lifting artistic performance. We look forward to such programs very much!"

Tainan City Mayor Hsu Tain-Tsair praised the show as being filled with magnificence and innovation

Mr. Hsu felt that the show was very moving, though it was very peaceful, and filled with magnificence and innovation. He was most impressed with "Drummers of the Tang Court."

"The show was high-class and the details meticulous"

On March 1, 2008, Music Professor Li Delin and his friends came to see second performance of the Divine Performing Arts (DPA) Chinese Spectacular. Professor Li is the Dean of the Art School at the National University of Tainan, and chairman of the Music Department. Professor Li told the reporter that the show was high-class and the details meticulous. He was very much moved by the care put into the show. During the first half, he particularly enjoyed the dance, "The Risen Lotus Flower." He said, "The story of the 'The Risen Lotus' has the fairies descending from heaven, and the music and dance was woven together painstakingly. The change of costumes from modern to classical style was done very well, and it was not easy. My heart was so deeply touched that I almost cried. I loved this performance very much."

Music Professor Li Delin, dean of the Art School at the National University of Tainan, believes that the Chinese Spectacular will help improve the level of Taiwan's performing arts.

Well-known Taiwanese dancer: "Divine Performing Arts makes me feel like I was back in my teenage years"

Well-known Taiwanese dancer Lee Tsai-E said that she was mesmerized and amazed by the remarkable DPA performances. The performance showed the art of strength and beauty, reminded her of long-forgotten memories, and made her feel that she was back in her teenage years. Ms. Lee, 83 years old, has engaged in dance education and traditional culture dissemination for over half a century. She studied modern dance in Japan in her youth. She set up the first dance class in Kaohsiung and pioneered a trend of dance education in southern Taiwan.

Lee Tsai-E watches a Divine Performing Arts performance attentively (the first woman on the left)

Ms. Lee commended the DPA performance, saying, "It's really wonderful! I could not help imaging that I was dancing with those performers on the stage, accompanied by the melodious music. I was very impressed!" She thought that all the numbers were excellent, imparting a comfortable and enjoyable feeling. She said that all the performers expressed their emotions and the inner meaning of each dance. Ms. Lee said, "I admire the DPA company's art director and choreographer. They preserve tradition and are also innovative. The performers are young but they are carrying forward authentic culture. They are remarkable!"

"The integrity and righteousness presented via the dances is perfect"

Ms. Cai Shuyuan, Director of the Kaohsiung City Symphony Orchestra, said, "The dances told such vivid stories. The vocalists sang and presented the audience with Buddhist School principles and the essence of being a human being. When I heard their singing, I could not help but burst into tears."

Cai Shuyuan, director of the Kaohsiung City Symphony Orchestra: "While listening to the songs, I could not stop my tears."

Ms. Cai said that every single performance was what she was longing for because it told a story and educated people. She hopes that more people can come to see the show. She was deeply moved by the dances because they made her feel that there is love in the human world and there are indeed divine principles.

Ms. Cai also said, "I have known most every [traditional] story since I was young. I was deeply moved by the meanings of 'Descent of the Celestial Kings.' Although I knew the story of 'The Loyalty of Yue Fei' when I was in grade school, now when I watched this, I felt it even more necessary for the children nowadays to understand it. The integrity and righteousness presented via the dances is perfect."

Displaying ancient Chinese culture

President of the Examination Yuan, Mr. Yao Chia-wen said that the Divine Performing Arts displayed the beautiful cultures of Chinese history. "Actually these cultures were mostly destroyed (by the Chinese Communist Party). These cultures represent peace, passion, patriotism, and social peace and prosperity. Of course, it also conveys the happiness of liberty, as we say nowadays. Certainly the Chinese people in Mainland China can't enjoy that culture today. When we look at what just happened in Tibet, we are sad. In Taiwan, people can freely practice their beliefs. In Tibet, the persecution of religion is still going on. Not to mention Mainland China. Today, The Divine Performing Arts show made me feel sad (for those Chinese and Tibetans). I wish China could be a free, active, and happy country again."