Latest news with #ShenYun
Epoch Times
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
CCP Mounting Unrestricted Warfare to Suppress Shen Yun, Lawmaker Says
The Chinese regime's growing campaign to suppress a New York-based performing arts firm is tantamount to unrestricted warfare, according to Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.). 'They fight on every single inch of the battlefield,' Perry told The Epoch Times, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. Unrestricted warfare is a doctrine that leverages all available nonmilitary means to subdue an enemy. Under such tactics, China is taking advantage of the U.S. judicial system and the freedom of the media, Perry added. Shen Yun showcases dance and music performances under the tagline 'China before communism.' The company was founded in 2006 by practitioners of Falun Gong—a faith group brutally persecuted by the Chinese regime since 1999—and has been a target of the CCP since. Over the past year, the regime's effort targeting Shen Yun has escalated significantly, with dozens of Perry, who sits on the House foreign affairs and intelligence committees, said it was important to take these threats seriously. Related Stories 5/19/2025 5/6/2025 It's important for the United States and the West in general to 'understand the pathology of this enemy,' he said. 'The CCP just takes advantage of the U.S. judiciary system and also the freedom of the media.' For the intimidation emails, the senders use Virtual Private Network, or VPN, making it hard to trace where the emails are from, 'but we're well familiar with the threats and the coercion and the intimidation by the Communist Chinese Party,' said Perry. Taiwan authorities have Shen Yun emcee Leeshai Lemish speaks at a press conference highlighting the Chinese Communist Party's transnational repression activities targeting the company at the Lincoln Center in New York City on March 26, 2025. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times 'Terrorism' Shen Yun performances often include stories about human rights abuses that Falun Gong practitioners suffer in China for adhering to their faith, which some performers and their family members In 1999, the CCP launched a systematic elimination campaign against Falun Gong, which by then had at least 70 million practicing. Since then, millions have been detained inside prisons, labor camps, and other facilities, with hundreds of thousands tortured while incarcerated, Indiana state Rep. Craig Haggard, who in April proposed a resolution to recognize Shen Yun's artistry and values, recalled how watching Shen Yun led him to learn about forced organ harvesting, which the Chinese regime systematically carries out in China targeting prisoners of conscience, such as Falun Gong practitioners. As a father, it moves him to know that ordinary families in China would be targeted as state enemies, and the authorities could 'just have control over your family's life and death.' Shen Yun, he said, is trying to showcase 'the beautiful part of China' while highlighting the darkness under communist rule. Haggard called the bomb threats against Shen Yun 'outrageous' and a form of 'terrorism.' 'They're trying to intimidate through threatened potential violence, and this is going on in our own backyard,' Haggard told The Epoch Times. He added that the Shen Yun artists, while relatively safe within U.S. borders, are 'still taking a huge risk by directly challenging' the regime on its human rights abuses. The House Armed Services Committee's Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairwoman Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) delivers remarks during a hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on Feb. 12, the 'Pressure up' Vicky Hartzler, a commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and former congresswoman from Missouri, said the bomb threats also reveal fear from the Chinese authorities. 'It just shows the level of threat that they see from this group, and for how successful these events are in fostering positive relationships between other countries and the Chinese people, and certainly practitioners of Falun Gong,' Hartzler told The Epoch Times. 'The Chinese Communist Party sees this as a threat, and they're escalating the degree of persecution' and 'trying to silence this positive voice.' The Chinese regime has exploited free speech in the United States to conduct targeted disinformation campaigns, she said, but 'where Chinese authorities may be putting out disinformation, there's certainly an opportunity to set the record straight by putting out the correct information.' She finds it a reminder to educate average Americans on the tactics the regime uses. 'We need to be vigilant, but also we need to be assertive and shut them down when we can,' she said. 'So we're not so vulnerable to be taken in by them.' Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, listens during a press conference on the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act passed by the House on Capitol Hill on May 7, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, voiced a similar sentiment. The United States needs to 'push back even harder,' he said. Communist China is the 'worst repressive state on the face of the earth,' he told The Epoch Times. 'So we've got to stand up to those who are getting hurt, tortured when they get arrested.' He said the U.S. government 'will bring more focus on transnational repression' from China and that he hopes President Donald Trump, when he meets with the Chinese regime leader Xi Jinping, will urge the release of incarcerated Americans and people imprisoned for their faith. 'We're going to keep the pressure up.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Former Shen Yun dancers sue over alleged forced child labor, abuse
[Source] Two former dancers have filed a federal lawsuit against Shen Yun Performing Arts — the U.S.-based classical Chinese dance company known for its colorful stage performances and spiritual messaging — alleging that the organization subjected them to forced child labor, emotional abuse and brutal working conditions while they were minors. Filed in the Southern District of New York last month, the lawsuit names Shen Yun, its affiliated Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and Falun Gong founder Li Hongzhi as defendants. The plaintiffs, Sun Zan, 32, and Cheng Qing Ling, 28 — both originally from New Zealand — claim they were recruited as teenagers and endured years of physical and emotional mistreatment while living under strict control at the group's compound in upstate New York. Life inside the company According to the lawsuit, Sun joined Shen Yun at age 15 and Cheng at 13. They allege they were forced into intensive 15-hour training days six days a week, received little or no pay and had limited access to education. Dancers were allegedly compelled to perform through injuries and illness and were discouraged from seeking medical care. Trending on NextShark: The complaint describes a culture of fear in which strict obedience was enforced. Cheng said she spent five years in 'survival mode,' afraid of making mistakes. Sun recalled being forced into extreme stretches that caused internal bleeding and muscle tears, leaving him in 'extreme pain for several weeks.' Pattern of previous allegations The new complaint echoes a similar lawsuit filed in November 2024 by former dancer Chang Chun-Ko, who said she was recruited as a child and subjected to psychological pressure and coercive control. 'I started dancing for Shen Yun when I was only 13. From the outset, they showed me how cruel they could be towards those who disobeyed their authority. Thus, I knew I couldn't leave without suffering dire consequences,' she told Berger Montague. Trending on NextShark: Her claims are consistent with findings from a 2024 New York Times investigation, which reported incidents of emotional abuse and untreated injuries among Shen Yun performers. Organizational response Shen Yun, which was founded in 2006 and is affiliated with the spiritual movement Falun Gong, has denied the accusations, saying it 'operates with integrity' and is 'committed to upholding the highest artistic and ethical standards.' The company said it does not exploit dancers or restrict access to medical care. Trending on NextShark: Carol Merchasin, the plaintiffs' attorney, said the lawsuit seeks accountability for the treatment her clients allegedly endured. She emphasized the vulnerability of children placed in isolated, high-pressure environments. The case remains pending in federal court with no trial date scheduled. Trending on NextShark: This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Epoch Times
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
Shen Yun Closes a Successful 2025 World Tour
Shen Yun Performing Arts' 2025 season took a final curtain call on May 11 in Philadelphia, Paris, Nashville, Tennessee, and Providence, Rhode Island. This year, New York-based Shen Yun's eight companies entertained an estimated 1 million-plus theatergoers attending more than 760 performances. Shen Yun visited major cities in Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada, and the Americas to rave reviews, as well as more than 170 cities in the United States. Joined by Shen Yun dancers, (L-R) Italian politician and former EU MP Simona Renata Baldassarre and her husband; President of the Senate EU Affairs Committee, Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata; Rome City Councilor Federico Rocca; (back row) Italian Prime Minister Meloni's sister, Arianna Meloni and mother, Anna Paratore. Mary Man/The Epoch Times Dignitaries everywhere showered Shen Yun with praise and honors. Rome pulled out all the stops for Shen Yun's first visit in almost seven years. Shen Yun received a welcome reception from Italian senators ahead of an appearance at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. The invitation was extended by Senator Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata, president of the Senate's EU Affairs Committee and former Italian foreign minister. 'This is something truly extraordinary,' he said. 'You represent beauty, you represent the divinity of the human being, and dance is the perfect expression of all this.' Terzi described the performance as a perfect example of 'cultural diplomacy,' using art and beauty as a medium to share universal values. 'Shen Yun is the bearer of a universal message of harmony, respect, and above all freedom,' he stated. While many venues eagerly awaited Shen Yun's return each year, some cities welcomed the performing arts company for the first time. Riga, the capital of Latvia, hosted Shen Yun's historic debut in a former Soviet Union country. Larisa Polosuhina, one of the wealthiest women in Latvia with commercial interests in the Baltic region, said, 'Very beautiful, the colors are stunning, and the dance, of course!' Paris enjoyed Shen Yun's longest run from April through May. French National Assembly member Thierry Frappé spoke for many when he said: 'I've been to a lot of shows before, but this is the first time I've ever seen a show of this quality. It's part dream, part enchantment. The color, the dance, the dreams, the sets, everything is absolutely remarkable.' Related Stories 5/8/2025 5/8/2025 Thierry Frappé enjoyed Shen Yun at the Palais des Congrès in Paris on May 3, 2025. NTD New York City's Lincoln Center hosted 18 sold-out performances. The New York audience praised Shen Yun's beautiful production and hopeful message. Frederick Newcomb, investment banker and president of a financial service company, said: 'The presentation and the message were one, and it conveyed it perfectly. The future of the world is in our hands. We won't outlive it, but it will outlive us. And the good work that's being done like this will transcend time.' Michael Cogdill and Danette Cogdill at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium on May 7, 2025. NTD Michael Cogdill, a news anchor in Greenville, South Carolina, said: 'You can't watch this and not be happy. There is such happiness. Even though there is repression from communist China, there is an evolution through it. Humanity evolves beyond such dreadfulness. It's just happiness throughout. The art of happy.' Positive Energy Audiences heartily approved of Shen Yun's mission of reviving traditional Chinese culture before communism. Many commented on the positive energy they felt during performances and messages of hope and beauty that touched their hearts. JJ Anderson, a director of finance in biotech, in Escondido, California, said: 'I think what's great about [Shen Yun's message] is that it's kindness and compassion. ... It doesn't matter what you believe. ... Just be nice to each other. Be kind, be compassionate, be tolerant,' Anderson said. 'That's the message I get. ... Love, kindness, compassion wins out every time.' Antonio Martínez Pastor watches Shen Yun in Murcia, Spain, on March 2, 2025. Antonio Martínez Pastor, a Murcia regional councilor of Murcia, Spain, said, 'We are all very enthusiastic because the truth is that [the performance] transmits a lot of positive energy.' Energy healer Brittany Rose said she could feel energy from the dance when she attended a performance in Boston. 'I could feel very good energy. I could feel the healing energy from the show with the dancing. I feel like it was healing the soul of the modern earth,' she said. When he saw Shen Yun in Sao Paulo, Brazil, dental surgeon William Ortega de Souza said that Shen Yun 'brings a different feeling: good energy and a connection with the divine. It gives that warm feeling in the heart when we see culture really showcased. People need to know this beautiful culture, and that in [the artists'] own country, they can't express themselves.' Anna Agosto, an entrepreneur in San Juan, Puerto Rico, said: 'They bring hope, they bring happiness. We are living right now in a moment that is so hard with everything. And then you come here, and you feel relaxed and connected and that heavenly atmosphere that we need.' Threats and Attacks As the popularity of Shen Yun continues to grow, performers and staff have found themselves increasingly threatened and harassed by the Chinese communist regime. At a Kay Rubacek, mother of Lee Rubacek, a student at Fei Tian College, speaks at a press conference highlighting the Chinese Communist Party's activities targeting the company at Lincoln Center in New York City on March 26, 2025. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times These threats, however, have not been able to diminish the enthusiasm audiences exhibit for Shen Yun, which is already preparing an all-new production for 2026.
Epoch Times
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
South Korea Court Rules to Allow Shen Yun Perform After Theater Caved to CCP Pressure
A South Korean court has ruled to allow Shen Yun Performing Arts to continue a planned two-day performance amid Beijing's disruption efforts, handing a win to the group that has, for years, been a target of the regime's global repression efforts. The hosting venue, Kangwon National University, greenlit the New York classical Chinese dance company's application to perform at its Baekryeong Art Center on April 1, only to walk back on the agreement after the Chinese embassy voiced a complaint. The university stated that its decision to cancel the show had to do with the public interests of the school. As the university is a national institution under the country's Ministry of Education, it's in a position to 'directly and indirectly represent the official position of the Republic of Korea,' thereby escalating the matter into a 'diplomatic issue,' stated a letter from the university, obtained by The Epoch Times. The center further said they made the decision out of public interest concerns, citing the roughly 500 Chinese-national students studying at the center who it claimed could stage protests, potentially leading to clashes, should the performance go on as scheduled. The Chuncheon District Court on April 30 sided with the show presenter, describing the university's contract cancellation as an 'abuse of discretionary power.' Shen Yun, the court noted, has Related Stories 4/11/2025 4/18/2025 With no solid evidence backing its claims, the school's stated concerns about potential clashes are vague and difficult to justify, the court said in the judgement, calling the decision 'illegal.' It further noted that the cancellation happened just 20 days ahead of the scheduled performance on May 6 and 7, with nearly two-thirds of the tickets sold. Calling off the performance at this point would make it hard for the show organizers to recover their financial and reputational damage, the judge said. The ruling marks a breakthrough for Shen Yun in South Korea, which has faced Shen Yun tours all over the world—but it cannot perform in China. Founded in 2006 in part by artists who fled Chinese Communist Party (CCP) repression, Shen Yun has grown, over the nearly two past decades, into eight companies of equal size that tour globally with a live orchestra each year. The group showcases classical Chinese dance under the tagline 'China before communism,' with some pieces also featuring stories of the CCP's persecution targeting Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has suffered an extensive persecution campaign in China over the past 26 years. Chinese diplomats and people believed to be linked with them have used political and economic coercion to undermine Shen Yun's global performances. The nonprofit group, Falun Dafa Information Center, has documented over 130 such instances over the years. Recently, the campaign appears to have intensified into a more disturbing form. In just over a year, the arts group has reported Ahead of the second day of Shen Yun's run at the Baekryeong Art Center, Shen Yun's emcee Leeshai Lemish, who has tracked these incidents for years, said he was heartened to see 'a South Korean court upholding the country's law and pushing back against CCP pressure.' 'CCP transnational repression is rampant worldwide but in South Korea, it has an especially long and well-documented history of But the court ruling shows that 'the CCP can only succeed if it can co-opt local governments, courts, and theaters' to follow its command, he added. 'When individuals stand firm and do what they believe is right, as we see now in South Korea, the CCP is powerless to do anything.' He sees it as a 'wonderful sign that Korean people have had enough of Beijing telling them what art they can and cannot watch.' Shen Yun Performing Arts World Company's curtain call at the Gumi Arts Center–Grand Hall in Gumi, South Korea, on Feb. 8, 2023. Kim Guk-hwan/The Epoch Times Lemish recalled a similar incident in 2016 at the Baekryeong Art Center, after canceling the show, apologized and said they weren't acting on their own volition. 'We tried our best, but the school and the Ministry of Education insisted on cancellation, so we had no choice but to cancel,' a staffer had told Shen Yun presenters, according to an email copy The Epoch Times reviewed. Lemish noted how repeatedly, South Korean government-affiliated entities and theaters have acknowledged Beijing's intervention but cited public interests to make the case for giving in to the Chinese communist regime. 'I think what we're seeing now is more and more people in South Korea and around the world realizing that the CCP's interests do not align with theirs at all, and that they need to protect their own rights and freedoms in the face of CCP pressure,' he said. 'I think as a bonus, they also find that they feel good doing that.'
Epoch Times
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
South Korea Court Rules to Allow Shen Yun Perform After Theater Caved Into CCP Pressure
A South Korean court has ruled to allow Shen Yun Performing Arts to continue a planned two-day performance amid Beijing's disruption efforts, handing a win to the group that has, for years, been a target of the regime's global repression efforts. The hosting venue, Kangwon National University, greenlit the New York classical Chinese dance company's application to perform at its Baekryeong Art Center on April 1, only to walk back on the agreement after the Chinese embassy voiced a complaint. The university stated that its decision to cancel the show had to do with the public interests of the school. As the university is a national institution under the country's Ministry of Education, it's in a position to 'directly and indirectly represent the official position of the Republic of Korea,' thereby escalating the matter into a 'diplomatic issue,' stated a letter from the university, obtained by The Epoch Times. The center further said they made the decision out of public interest concerns, citing the roughly 500 Chinese-national students studying at the center who it claimed could stage protests, potentially leading to clashes, should the performance go on as scheduled. The Chuncheon District Court on April 30 sided with the show presenter, describing the university's contract cancellation as an 'abuse of discretionary power.' Shen Yun, the court noted, has Related Stories 4/11/2025 4/18/2025 With no solid evidence backing its claims, the school's stated concerns about potential clashes are vague and difficult to justify, the court said in the judgement, calling the decision 'illegal.' It further noted that the cancellation happened just 20 days ahead of the scheduled performance on May 6 and 7, with nearly two thirds of the tickets sold. Calling off the performance at this point would make it hard for the show organizers to recover their financial and reputational damage, the judge said. The ruling marks a breakthrough for Shen Yun in South Korea, which has faced Shen Yun tours all over the world—but it cannot perform in China. Founded in 2006 in part by artists who fled Chinese Communist Party (CCP) repression, Shen Yun has grown, over the nearly two past decades, into eight companies of equal size that tour globally with a live orchestra each year. The group showcases classical Chinese dance under the tagline 'China before communism,' with some pieces also featuring stories of the CCP's persecution targeting Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that has suffered an extensive persecution campaign in China over the past 26 years. Chinese diplomats and people believed to be linked with them have used political and economic coercion to undermine Shen Yun's global performances. The nonprofit group, Falun Dafa Information Center, has documented over 130 such instances over the years. Recently, the campaign appears to have intensified into a more disturbing form. In just over a year, the arts group has reported Ahead of the second day of Shen Yun's run at the Baekryeong Art Center, Shen Yun's emcee Leeshai Lemish, who has tracked these incidents for years, said he was heartened to see 'a South Korean court upholding the country's law and pushing back against CCP pressure.' 'CCP transnational repression is rampant worldwide but in South Korea, it has an especially long and well-documented history of But the court ruling shows that 'the CCP can only succeed if it can co-opt local governments, courts, and theaters' to follow its command, he added. 'When individuals stand firm and do what they believe is right, as we see now in South Korea, the CCP is powerless to do anything.' He sees it as a 'wonderful sign that Korean people have had enough of Beijing telling them what art they can and cannot watch.' Shen Yun Performing Arts World Company's curtain call at the Gumi Arts Center–Grand Hall in Gumi, South Korea, on Feb. 8, 2023. Kim Guk-hwan/The Epoch Times Lemish recalled a similar incident in 2016 at the Baekryeong Art Center, after canceling the show, apologized and said they weren't acting on their own volition. 'We tried our best, but the school and the Ministry of Education insisted on cancellation, so we had no choice but to cancel,' a staffer had told Shen Yun presenters, according to an email copy The Epoch Times reviewed. Lemish noted how repeatedly, South Korean government-affiliated entities and theaters have acknowledged Beijing's intervention but cited public interests to make the case for giving into the Chinese communist regime. 'I think what we're seeing now is more and more people in South Korea and around the world realizing that the CCP's interests do not align with theirs at all, and that they need to protect their own rights and freedoms in the face of CCP pressure,' he said. 'I think as a bonus, they also find that they feel good doing that.'
