TOKYO—Mr. and Mrs. Fujita Shirou attended the performance of Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company in Tokyo at the Bunkyo Civic Hall on April 22. After the performance, they were full of praise. Mr. Fujita is a veteran musician who has spent 40 years living and working in Germany. He is a former member of the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra.
The couple were full of smiles after the performance. “The colors are dazzling and bright,” said Mr. Fujita.
He especially admired Shen Yun’s unique backdrop. “It’s marvelous! The high-tech backdrop animation matched seamlessly with the movements of the dancing artists! I am stunned. The character on the backdrop suddenly appeared on the stage, it’s such a unique novelty.
“To turn the combination of traditional art and the backdrop technology into a living thing is absolutely meaningful. I like it very much,” he said.
Mr. Fujita said that expressing Chinese tradition with classical Chinese dance is a brilliant idea. “The dancing is the world’s top class, impeccable! This is the first time I have seen such a terrific performance.”
Being Japanese, Mr. Fujita had no problem understanding the stories from Chinese dance. “The choreography is so well done that I have no problem understanding the stories.”
In conclusion, Mr. Fujita said he was most impressed with the last program Divine Mercy. “The scene when Earth was shattering reminds me of the earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. When natural disasters happen, the power of divine beings shall not be ignored. It’s worth pondering the meaning behind it,” he said.
‘Loved Shen Yun’s dances’
Mr. Munehiro Mizuno, a former Tokyo councilor, brought his wife to see Shen Yun Performing Arts on April 22 at the Tokyo Bunkyo Civic Hall. Mr. Mizuno said that the pure benevolence and beauty of the Shen Yun performance allowed him to understand the power of culture.
Mr. Mizuno loved Shen Yun’s dances. He especially adored the scenes when the Buddhas and Gods descended from Heaven and when the artists took off and returned to Heaven. He believed that such a presentation of the transition of time and space could not be seen in Japan.
Shen Yun is not able to perform in China due to its content of spiritual belief and the depiction of the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Mr. Mizuno said he understood that believing in God and pursuing kindness were wonderful things.
Mr. Mizuno believes that Taiwan has better preserved traditional Chinese culture than China because the communist regime has destroyed it over the years. “Though the Chinese communist regime is good at propaganda, the people in Taiwan should be more confident and should influence China with its traditional culture,” he said.
Mr. Mizuno was very happy when he saw the last dance on the program, Divine Mercy. He said that it was very symbolic.
‘Feel the soulful power’
The long Chinese culture has had a profound impact on Japan, Korea, and other neighboring countries. Kataka Noguchi, a master of tea ceremony and incense burning, who highly values the traditional Japanese culture, gave lavish compliment to the spiritual beauty that Shen Yun presented. “The dance exceeded what language could express. The audience could feel the soulful power from the performance,” Ms. Noguchi said.
On the evening of April 19, Ms. Noguchi, dressed in traditional Japanese dress of the kimono, was in attendance to see the performance by Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company in the Tokyo Bunkyo Civic Hall, which is regarded as the sanctuary of music.
After the performance, Ms. Noguchi praised the performance by Shen Yun. “If I had only a few words to describe Shen Yun, I would say that it was exquisitely beautiful. Shen Yun showcases the diversity of beauty, such as the brilliant costumes, the graceful and powerful movement, the smooth motions, and the fascinating colors. The most essential part that makes Shen Yun exceptional is the spiritual beauty it conveys. Without doubt, all the audience could receive the messages,” she said.
Ms. Noguchi said she was completely indulged in all the programs. “Each artist is so perfect and pure. I was overwhelmed by the perfection,” she said.
Moreover, Ms. Noguchi had a complex feeling about today’s social disorder. She said: “In our society, a lot of people are pursuing a materialistic life. There aren’t any organizations like Shen Yun that emphasize the importance of uplifting our spirits. We should cherish it.”
After learning that Shen Yun aims to revive the ancient Chinese culture, she said: “Japan has been influenced a lot by traditional Chinese culture, but with the passing of time, Japan has developed a unique culture as well. Culture is the center of any nation and its people. The traditional culture is the most important part to maintain moral virtues.
“Shen Yun’s performance will have positive effect to all over the world. The performance simply goes beyond language, uplifting the spirit of everyone.”
Read the original Chinese articles. [1] [2] [3]
Reporting by Lu Yong, Zhang Benzhen and Hsin-Yi Lin, Miwako Nishimura and Amy Yu
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
