The Show That Changed My Life

Many of us probably had similar dreams when we were teenagers. “I want to change the world, like those Hollywood heroes.” Something ambitious like that. Looking back, after twelve years of performing with the Shen Yun orchestra globally as a principal flutist, I can’t help but be amazed that my teenage dream has come true.

In 2012, before joining Shen Yun, I had the privilege of attending a Shen Yun show at the prestigious Lincoln Center in New York. Without knowing what to expect, upon the curtain’s opening I started tearing up because what I saw onstage was simply too beautiful to be true. I told myself, this is perhaps Heaven.

Being a native of Taiwan, I was very touched to see the ethnic dance “A-Mei” that portrayed youthful Taiwanese aboriginal girls dancing in a carefree manner. There are also many widely known historical stories in the show; for example, the story of General Yue Fei depicting loyalty, sacrificing himself for his country. Through a night of music and dance, I was very proud to witness traditional Chinese culture being professionally revived onstage, in a way that is easy to comprehend by audiences around the globe.

The show not only tells stories from ancient China, but also stories depicting current human rights violations happening in China today—the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, who are jailed for their faith and tortured in unspeakably evil ways, some even subjected to organ harvesting.

This was so shocking to me, as I couldn’t believe the Chinese government could commit such crimes against their people. As a Taiwanese person, I see myself sharing the same values, heritage, and culture of Chinese people—we speak the same language and have the same ancestors. However, in Taiwan, we have the basic human rights of freedom of speech and religion. This really strengthened my determination to join Shen Yun, in order to bring to light what has been happening in China since 1999. I felt a sense of responsibility as an artist to help stop these crimes.

Moreover, there was a live orchestra that performed music specifically composed for the dances. For two hours, the orchestra delivered energetic music with great precision, rhythmic stability, and heavenly melodies that moved my heart. The Shen Yun orchestra really demonstrated the power of teamwork and unselfish cooperation with the dancers onstage. Again, my eyes were tearing up during the final curtain call of the show.

What struck me the most was the inner purity of the performers. I felt it through their eyes, facial expressions, body movements, and their music. These things can’t be faked. Never in my life had I ever experienced this level of purity and humbleness in any show or concert.

A few weeks later, I was introduced to Falun Gong, a spiritual mind and body practice that focuses on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. My mind flashed back to the Shen Yun show I had watched at Lincoln Center, and I immediately understood everything I had witnessed that night—the dedicated dancers and musicians, the pure energy and beauty, and the message of love and peace.

As a musician, I knew on that night twelve years ago that I had found my purpose in the performing arts world. I also know that as a person, I am part of something big—an ambassador of universal values.