(Minghui.org) I’d like to share my thoughts about a recent media report claiming that Shen Yun “tapped religious fervor to make $266 million” in assets.
Legal Income
Shen Yun’s income comes from ticket sales, not individual or group donations or donations from Falun Gong practitioners, so it’s incorrect to say the show’s profits come from “religious fervor.” Shen Yun promotes China’s 5,000-year-old traditional culture and the universal values of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. When people purchase tickets to see Shen Yun, it shows they recognize these two points.
The fact that each season, millions of people from different countries, ethnic groups, and faiths see the show is proof that Shen Yun’s content resonates with them.
Ticket prices are not cheap—some seats cost $500 USD, so people who purchase tickets are not making a rash decision. They realize Shen Yun is a high-class performance that has the reputation of being the world’s number one show. People spend money to see Shen Yun because they realize the performances reflect China’s divinely-inspired culture and the upright, moral standards of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. They voluntarily support Shen Yun by purchasing tickets to experience the show.
People’s Enthusiasm Shows That Shen Yun Is Remarkable
Since its establishment in 2006, Shen Yun has grown in size and popularity. Each year, Shen Yun performs in the finest theaters around the world. Its viewers are well-educated and include elected officials and successful businesspeople. In some cities, tickets are sold out in advance and are hard to come by.
In comparison, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) wastes Chinese citizens’ money every year by subsidizing overseas performances given by various arts groups that use public funds. Ticket sales are dismal, and huge losses are incurred. Some performers use the opportunity to leave China.
While many established performing arts groups experience financial difficulties, especially during the COVID pandemic, Shen Yun has managed to go against the trend and has expanded to eight touring companies that perform around the world. This year, tickets to opening shows in the U.K. and the U.S. sold out as soon as they were available.
Shen Yun’s superb performances have garnered many fans, and the fact that Shen Yun is able to make a profit makes it all the more remarkable.
Audience Members Vote with their Feet
Many people have seen the economy weaken, yet Shen Yun has managed to thrive. This is because audience members chose to stand on the side of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance.
The authors of the aforementioned article tried to use the striking figure of “266 million” to make people think, “Falun Gong managed to make so much money!” My interpretation is, “It’s amazing that the company is capable of earning so much money!”
In China, the CCP has been vilifying Falun Gong for 25 years and tries to downplay its existence. Perhaps many Chinese people have forgotten how Falun Gong and its principles deeply moved the 100 million people in China who took up the practice. Those with ill intentions are now using the most attention-grabbing way to bring Falun Gong back to people’s attention by claiming that Falun Gong is making a lot of money.
A Great Injustice
The article also claimed that many volunteers work for Shen Yun without compensation and that these volunteers are Falun Gong practitioners. I am thankful that they acknowledge the truth: many practitioners voluntarily do things to let people know about Falun Gong. The CCP, however, lied that Falun Gong practitioners “take money from the U.S. government.”
Falun Gong practitioners voluntarily help promote Shen Yun because of their love of, and pride in, Chinese culture, as well as their sincere wish to promote the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.
People may remember the other selfless deeds voluntarily done by Falun Gong practitioners: they donated money to the victims of the Changjiang river flood in 1998 and wrote, “Falun Gong practitioners” in the donation register. Falun Gong volunteers around the world tell people the facts about the persecution and help Chinese quit the CCP. Practitioners in China risk their lives to defend the legal rights of all Chinese citizens.
Their selfless efforts come from the power of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance and prompted Falun Gong practitioners and Shen Yun to work together. Unfortunately, people who are influenced by the CCP’s ideology cannot understand why Falun Gong practitioners do things voluntarily.
On July 20, 1999, Jiang Zemin claimed that “Falun Gong was trying to usurp power from the CCP” and decided to eradicate the practice. The regime used Chinese citizen’s money to persecute Chinese people. It has been said that millions of yuan were spent in this effort.
Over the past 25 years, some U.S. media continue to help the CCP spread lies about Falun Gong and ignore the persecution and serious human rights violations of Falun Gong practitioners—even after the substantial evidence of forced organ harvesting was exposed.
For many years, the regime’s actions have led to countless injustices and deaths, but did the media in question report on those ongoing atrocities in China? Choosing not to report on such major events that affect the world is not only a great injustice but also untruthful reporting.
Fei Tian Academy Offers Full Scholarships
The 266 million in assets is not a small sum of money, but it is small compared to the mission of reviving traditional Chinese culture. Fei Tian Academy is a registered Chinese classical dance and music school in the U.S. It offers full scholarships, saving each student $50,000 every year, including accommodations, internships, travel fees and so on.
Shen Yun performers stay in quality hotels and eat nutritious meals while on tour. These costs, for a large touring company, are substantial.
Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance Are Priceless Treasures
It is natural that Falun Gong practitioners wish to tell the world’s people about the universal values of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. For 25 years, due to the CCP’s propaganda, people in China did not know how popular Falun Gong is outside of China. The main book of Falun Gong's teaching, Zhuan Falun, has been translated into 50 languages. Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance have long been welcomed by people all over the world. Many government leaders and elites in society regard it an honor to have seen Shen Yun.
A show that depicts ancient China’s rich, profound culture is something that the CCP cannot tolerate, as its communist ideology drives it to fight against Heaven, Earth and humankind. Shen Yun has helped the world rediscover China’s 5,000 year-old heritage that was nearly destroyed by the CCP.
After watching Shen Yun, many people praise Chinese culture and say they’ve received great, spiritual satisfaction. They love the show and are willing to pay for the privilege of seeing it. This may explain why Shen Yun is so successful.
All content published on this website is copyrighted by Minghui.org. Minghui will produce compilations of its online content regularly and on special occasions.
Category: News Commentary
