(Clearwisdom.net) According to the Television New Zealand’s (TVNZ) evening news report on April 5, 2007, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) consulate in Auckland made phone calls to New Zealand officials to warn them not to watch the Chinese culture performances by Divine Performing Arts. Dozens of dignitaries, who had planned to watch the performance, received similar phone calls. They said that they felt great pressure but still went ahead for the show as they had planned.
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The report said that the show covers 5,000 years of Chinese culture, but the Communist Party went so far as to attempt to spoil the show.
The report also said that Chinese students have been told if they are photographed at the event they will not be allowed back in their home country. Event organizer Charlotte Cuthbertson said, “They'll get branded as practicing Falun Gong, which obviously will cause them a huge amount of trouble when going back to China because it's banned there." [Editor's note: Falun Gong, a peaceful practice for elevating the mind and benefiting the body, has been under persecution by the CCP since July 1999.]
The report said that the Divine Performing Arts group from New York said that the Chinese communist officials have tried to sabotage their show in most countries they tour and New Zealand is no different. Dancer Vina Lee said, "We met a similar situation in other countries and cities as well. I lived in Australia more than 15 years and I don't think this is right because this is a freedom of speech country."
Journalist Wendy Cao said, "I told him [Mayor Wood] this [tour performance] is independent. We're bringing back traditional Chinese culture".
The report said that both the Chinese consulate in Auckland and the Chinese embassy in Wellington have refused to comment.
Auckland Chinese Radio Station Interviews Performers from Divine Performing Arts
Chinese Voice Broadcasting (CVB) a Chinese radio station in Auckland, interviewed performer from Divine Performing Arts, Guan Guimin and the coordinator of the show, Li Xinhong on April 3. The two guests introduced members of the Divine Performing Arts and the value of the show. They also answered questions from the listeners’ hotline.
First, Guan Guimin introduced the members of the Divine Performing Arts. He said that the performers in the troupe are mainly Chinese. Most of them are second or third generation immigrants who were born abroad. They love traditional Chinese culture very much. Concerning the show, Guan Guimin said that the show focuses on dance performances, and are all traditional Chinese dances, which place a high requirement on performers’ basic skills. Those skills are all traditional Chinese styles, different from Ballet in the West.
Li Xinhong answered the host’s question on the meaning of preparing for this performance. She said that the main purpose is to carry forward authentic traditional Chinese culture, hoping that people can understand the inner meaning of China’s Divinely-inspired culture.
Guan Guimin continued, saying that he started practicing Falun Gong in 1996. Before then, he suffered from hepatocirrhosis, and he was unable to give performances on stage at all. It is Falun Gong that enabled him to return the stage to perform. Li Xinhong added that since the CCP came to power in China, it has destroyed Chinese culture on a large scale. People nowadays actually do not understand what the ancient Chinese culture was. This is also the original intention for presenting the show.
Li Xinhong also answered listeners’ questions as to the time of the show, directions and locations for buying tickets.
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