Shen Yun Brings a Splash of Sunshine to Fort Lauderdale

(Clearwisdom.net) The New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts held four exhilarating and uplifting shows at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Au-Rene Theater, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on February 10-12, 2012.
Psychologist calls Shen Yun ‘glorious’

Dr. Jane Dye and her friends attend Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Broward Center for Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale. (Courtesy of The Epoch Times)Dr. Jane Dye attended the Shen Yun show out of her interest in Falun Dafa, as she has been practicing the Falun Dafa exercises for about two to three months.

“Oh, it’s wonderful, just wonderful,” she said of the show. “So that’s why we were so interested in coming.” The Falun Dafa Association of Florida sponsored Shen Yun’s Florida engagements.Falun Dafa is a spiritual practice that involves slow-moving exercises and moral principles. It has been unjustly persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) since 1999.Dr. Dye shared her understanding of why Falun Dafa is persecuted in China: “They [the CCP] were uncomfortable with so many people so spiritually evolved.”“Oh, it was glorious,” said Dr. Dye, speaking of the performance. “The costuming, the dance, the colors—magnificent.”Dr. Dye’s friend John Cheraso, a mechanical engineer, said, “I find it very interesting that you can portray pieces of history through dance and expression like this.”

Shen Yun’s poetic nature a joy

Michael Cooper, chief concierge at the Lago Mar Resort Motel–a renowned oceanfront resort–attended Friday’s performance to get a better understanding of Shen Yun before telling the resort’s guests all about it.“To send my guests to such a wonderful show, I come to see it first,” said Mr. Cooper. “[Now] having seen it, I know it’s beautiful and very cultural for this community.”Mr. Cooper’s companion for the evening, Candace McKinniss, a schoolteacher, loved multiple aspects of the performance.“I loved the poetic nature of the songs, which then carried into the dances,” said Ms. McKinniss. “It’s so beautiful.”Ms. McKinniss felt the songs spoke to her heart, and set a mood and a feeling for the rest of the performance.“I just love the way it all ties together,” she said.

‘It was just fantastic’

John Lamont, a retired police officer, and Pat Allen, a former educator, also attended the performance.“It was just fantastic,” said Mr. Lamont. “We loved it. We appreciated the athleticism of the performers and the effort that they put into preparing for the performance. It was fantastic.”Mr. Lamont enjoyed the dance “Sleeves of Silk.” “They looked like they were just floating,” said Ms. Allen, who saw Shen Yun two years ago and decided to come back for more. When asked why, she had a simple answer. “They are beautiful.”

Company owner: ‘I loved the meaning’

Ross Gregg, who owns a company that sells forklifts, said the meaning in the song lyrics appealed to him.Shen Yun includes vocalists who sing in Chinese in the bel canto style. The lyrics are projected onto the backdrop in two languages, Chinese and the language of the host country.In describing the colors in the show, Mr. Gregg explained: “I love the colors, the beautiful colors. Purple is my favorite,” he said.Mr. Gregg was accompanied by Ms. Armenti, an artist who also works as a chef on a private yacht.She was also seeing Shen Yun for the first time. “As they say in the Spanish language, ‘encantada.’ It was enchanting. It was so enchanting and fascinating, and the dancers were so driven—they had a passion and a purpose for what they were doing.”Ms. Armenti said she felt very fortunate to experience the beauty of Shen Yun. “It was a blessing.” She said she felt blessed “to see the culture of the Chinese through their dance and their love of their history, through movement, through their history.” “It was beautiful.”“The passion was evident in every movement of their hands and their feet,” Ms. Argenti said.Mr. Gregg said he felt buoyed by the experience: “Inspiring, uplifting, very good. We enjoyed it.”

Shen Yun: A special Valentine’s gift for Fort Lauderdale

Also in the audience was Karen Kaye, a psychotherapist. “I thought it was magnificent, brilliant, symmetrical, cultural, inviting. I love the story that it told. I would see it again next year,” she said.Speaking of the spiritual aspect of the performance, she said: “Love it! It’s what I’m about—meditation, spirituality, reincarnation, fate. It was all part of the story, and I enjoyed it very, very much.”She said she felt absolutely inspired. “I liked at the end that good outweighs evil. That was very enlightening and very uplifting.”

Microbiologist calls Shen Yun an ‘historical explanation’

Stefan Mojsilovic, who works in the pharmaceuticals industry, said, “You can learn a lot about Chinese culture just coming here.” Mr. Mojsilovic was accompanied by Olja Marjanovic, a microbiologist.Ms. Marjanovic spent seven months in China recently. She said, “Here and there—completely different.” In contrast to her experience while in China, she described Shen Yun to be an “historical explanation.”Mr. Mojsilovic added, “she [Ms. Marjanovic] told me you can’t just have anything like this there—in China.” He described Shen Yun as “really amazing.”“Never seen anything like it,” he said.The two of them praised the colors in the performance and the handmade costumes that span China’s dynasties, regions, and ethnic groups.“The orchestra was really good. Yes, the whole performance,” said Ms. Marjanovic. “We had binoculars, we saw it.”“The orchestra, everything. The songs were amazing!” said Mr. Mojsilovic.Referring to Classical Chinese dance, which embodies traditional aesthetic principles, unique dance movements, rhythms, and inner meaning, Mr. Mojsilovic said, “It has a lot of meaning to it. Amazing. I was impressed.”

Florida officials welcome Shen Yun

This is the fifth consecutive year that Shen Yun has performed in Florida. Letters of greeting from federal and local officials again honored the occasion.


Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz recognized Shen Yun for its “unwavering commitment to renewing, preserving, and celebrating these forms of traditional Chinese dance.” (Provided by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Courtesy of The Epoch Times)Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz welcomed “internationally renowned” Shen Yun Performing Arts to the Broward Center: “It is performances like the one you will see … that remind us all of the unique ability of the arts to transport us to another time and place and to communicate lessons about the heritage and traditions of cultures from across the globe.”The Congresswoman recognized Shen Yun for its “unwavering commitment to renewing, preserving, and celebrating these forms of traditional Chinese dance.”Rep. Ted Deutch wished this year’s tour great success and “continued growth and expansion in the years to come.”“Shen Yun Performing Arts is greatly appreciated and celebrated for its unique classical Chinese dance and music. I am inspired by the group of Chinese artists who revived 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, forming Shen Yun Performing Arts. It is truly a remarkable and diverse program showcasing talented dancers, singers, and musicians,” the Congressman wrote.Rep. Alcee L. Hastings welcomed Shen Yun to South Florida, recognizing the performing arts company for its “very entertaining and widely acclaimed program.” The Congressman expressed “great respect for Chinese culture and traditions.”

‘Exhilarating event’

Fort Lauderdale Mayor John P. Seiler welcomed back the cast and musicians presenting this “culturally rich and exhilarating event.” Shen Yun celebrates the excellence of Chinese classical dance inspired by a 5,000-year-old culture.

John P. “Jack” Seiler, mayor of Fort Lauderdale, described Shen Yun as “a wonderful showcase for the talents of the dancers, musicians, and artists involved in the spectacular production of myths, legends, and ancient Chinese culture.” (Provided by John P. “Jack” Seiler, Courtesy of The Epoch Times)“It is a wonderful showcase for the talents of the dancers, musicians, and artists involved in the spectacular production of myths, legends, and ancient Chinese culture,” he wrote.On behalf of the Broward County Commission, County Mayor John E. Rodstrom Jr. welcomed Shen Yun: “This show will bring our residents an unforgettable experience through Chinese dance, music, and culture. We have much to learn from a society that spans more than 5,000 years.”North Miami Beach Mayor George Vallejo appreciated Shen Yun for allowing South Florida the opportunity to share in celebrating its spectacular dances, in which the “Chinese traditional culture helps illustrate the deeper spiritual core” of the ancient culture.

George Vallejo, mayor of North Miami Beach, appreciated Shen Yun for bringing South Florida the opportunity to see “spectacular dances” through which traditional Chinese culture "helps illustrate the deeper spiritual core" of the ancient culture. (Provided by George Vallejo, Courtesy of The Epoch Times)

Sources: 
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/psychologist-calls-shen-yun-glorious-190470.html 
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/shen-yun-s-poetic-nature-a-joy-189899.html 
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/company-owner-i-loved-the-meaning-189814.html 
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/shen-yun-a-special-valentines-gift-for-fort-lauderdale-189667.html 
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/microbiologist-calls-shen-yun-an-historical-explanation-189745.html 
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/shen-yun-opens-florida-performances-in-fort-lauderdale-189350.html

Introduction to Falun Dafa

Falun Dafa (also called Falun Gong) is an advanced practice of self-cultivation based on the Buddha School of teachings, founded by Mr. Li Hongzhi, the practice’s master. It is a discipline in which “assimilation to the highest qualities of the universe—Zhen, Shan, Ren (Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance)—is the foundation of practice. Practice is guided by these supreme qualities, and based on the very laws which underlie the development of the cosmos.” Master Li’s teachings are set forth in a number of texts, among which are included Falun Gong, Zhuan Falun, The Great Consummation Way of Falun Dafa, Essentials for Further Advancement, and Hong Yin. These and other works have been translated into thirty-eight languages, and are published and distributed worldwide.

A more complete introduction, including free downloads of Falun Dafa books and instructional videos, can be found on www.falundafa.org.

High Profile CCP Officials Wang Lijun and Bo Xilai Committed Crimes of Genocide Against Falun Gong

(Clearwisdom.net) In recent weeks it has been alleged that two high level CCP officials, Wang Lijun and Bo Xilai, have been fighting with each other. Their power struggle is one of the most talked about issues among Chinese people today. As the facts of corruption are revealed, it is likely that they will ultimately face justice.

Regardless of the result, one thing is certain: Both of these men have been actively and aggressively participating in the persecution of Falun Gong. For the past ten plus years, the suppression of Falun Gong escalated and intensified in the areas they worked. Wang and Bo have reportedly orchestrated mass arrests and been responsible for the brainwashing, torture, and imprisonment of many.

Bo Xilai and Wang Lijun Were the Masterminds Behind the Mass Brainwashing of Falun Gong Practitioners in Chongqing


According to Minghui/Clearwisdom website reports, Bo Xilai spent 17 billion yuan on the installation of 500,000 cameras after he arrived at his post in Chongqing in 2007. In 2009, Bo Xilai appointed Wang Lijun to be chief of the Chongqing City Police Department. Reports of arrests, torture, and imprisonment of Falun Gong practitioners in Chongqing escalated.

According to Minghui reports, Bo Xilai claimed to bolster efforts to make Falun Gong practitioners renounce their belief in Falun Gong. He shortened the 2010-2012 three-year plan to two years for favorable results and political gain. In the time that Bo Xilai served in Chongqing, nearly 20 Falun Gong practitioners have been tortured to death.

In 2011, more than 360 Falun Gong practitioners in Chongqing faced varying degrees of persecution. 277 of them were arrested, 22 were sentenced to forced labor, and more than 70 faced harassment or threats from the police or their local residence committee. The police ransacked most of the practitioners' homes. In some districts and counties, every Falun Gong practitioner was victimized.

In addition to the local police, many people were hired to monitor practitioners around the clock. In 2009, 188 Falun Gong practitioners were either arrested, detained, or had their homes ransacked. Six people were tortured to death, 18 were imprisoned, 76 were incarcerated in forced labor camps, and five were sent to psychiatric institutions.

For example, Mr. Tang Yi, a senior railway engineer and a local resident in Anju Town, Tongliang Township, Chongqing City, faced long-term imprisonment because of his faith in Falun Gong, according to Minghui. He was tortured with many cruel methods. In April 2009, Mr. Tang was paralyzed from the waist down, became incontinent, and his lower body began to fester. He died at the age of 46, on September 22, 2009, as a result of the torture inflicted on him.

Mr. Liu Guangdi, a senior engineer in his 60s, was another victim of persecution in Chongqing. He was arrested during the 2008 Olympic Games and sentenced to one year at the Xishanping Forced Labor Camp. He was severely tortured and given large quantities of unknown drugs. He became critically ill and died on September 25, 2010, as a result of the torture he endured at the camp.

Bo Xilai Has Faced Lawsuits Accusing Him of Genocide and Torture in Many Countries


For his role in China's persecution of Falun Gong, Bo Xilai has been served with both civil and criminal lawsuits in 12 countries. An Australian court found him guilty in a trial where he refused to appear. In November 2009, a Spanish court filed a lawsuit against Bo for genocide and torture.

In 2004, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police added 45 Chinese government officials to its watch list because of their involvement in the persecution of Falun Gong. These Chinese government officials could face denial of entry to Canada, repatriation, or lawsuits. Bo Xilai was included in this this list. It was said that Bo Xilai would accompany Hu Jintao on his tour of the United States and Canada in 2005, but Bo did not make the trip because he had been served a lawsuit on his trip the year before.

According to Minghui reports, Bo Xilai ordered the systematic arrest, imprisonment, and torture of practitioners while he was the mayor of Dalian City. As a result, Dalian became one the cities where the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners was most severe. The Dalian Forced Labor Camp, notorious for torturing and sexually abusing Falun Gong practitioners, was praised by CCP officials as one of the most "progressive institutions" for its "renowned achievements in 'reform' education." The Dalian Police Department was given a level-one award for its achievements in suppressing Falun Gong.

According to the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG), while Bo Xilai was posted in Liaoning Province, some of the most severe persecution of Falun Gong occurred there. Masanjia Forced Labor Camp and Dalian Forced Labor Camp were notorious for inventing brutal methods of torture and inflicting them on imprisoned practitioners.

Former Canadian MP and Canadian Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) David Kilgour cited a piece of evidence in his report on the CCP's live organ harvesting on May 24, 2007: "The wife of a surgeon revealed the organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners after her husband confessed to removing corneas from 2,000 Falun Gong practitioners at a hospital in Liaoning province while Bo was governor."

Wang Lijun Directly Responsible for Organ Harvesting Atrocities Inflicted On Falun Gong Practitioners


According to a witness, while Wang Lijun was chief of the Jinzhou Police Department, he masterminded and orchestrated large-scale arrests of Falun Gong practitioners.

For example, in the early morning of February 25, 2008, the police in Guta, Linghe, and Taihe simultaneously arrested nearly 30 practitioners. They ransacked their homes and confiscated their personal belongings and more than 100,000 yuan in cash. Lu Tao, an officer from the Taihe Police Department, brutally interrogated Ms. Liu Fengmei, Mr. Qu Chengye, and Mr. Huang Cheng. Mr. Huang later was tortured to death in Panjin Prison at the age of 56.

Evidence shows that Wang Lijun also participated in the live organ harvesting. In 2002, the witness, who was working for the police system of Liaoning Province, participated in illegal arrests and torture of Falun Gong practitioners (see reference [1]). The witness was an armed police guard by that time and witnessed two military surgeons remove the organs from one living female Falun Gong practitioner. On April 9, 2002, the Liaoning Police Department sent for two military surgeons, one from the General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region of People's Liberation Army and the other one a graduate of the Second Military Medical University. They transferred this practitioner to the General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region. While she was fully conscious, without using any anesthetics, they harvested her heart, kidneys, and other organs. The organs were harvested under the jurisdiction of Wang Lijun, the police chief of Jinzhou Police Department.

The witness added that he heard Wang Lijun say that we "must eradicate all [Falun Gong practitioners]." (see reference [1]) The witness had previously arrested and tortured Falun Gong practitioners before he came forward with the reports. Institutions in Liaoning Province severely persecuted Falun Gong practitioners. According to Minghui.org, there have been 406 confirmed deaths of Falun Gong practitioners in Liaoning Province.

In an academic article entitled "An Empirical Study on the Donors' Organs after Drug Injections," Wang Lijun is listed as a co-author although he has no medical background. Was he given credit as the supplier of human bodies for the study?
In Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, at least 500 Falun Gong practitioners have been arrested. 71 have been tortured to death, and more than 30 have become handicapped according to Minghui.

Goodness is Rewarded, Evil is Punished

According to a random health report from China's Police Department, more than 70% of the police force failed their physicals, 30% of the police suffer from heart disease, 40% had high blood pressure, 30% had gastric diseases, 20% had arthritis, and 16% had hepatitis. 80% of those surveyed want to quit their job.

After Wang Lijun's recent visit to the No.3 Military Medical University in Chongqing, a Chinese blogger (unconfirmed source) posted the findings. The blogger wrote that Wang Lijun slept only 2 to 3 hours a day and was so worried that he would leave the lights on when he slept. Also that Wang later became hysterical and had thoughts of suicide.

Someone commented online, "Wang Lijun killed too many people and did too many bad things. Now he is suffering from karmic retribution."

References:

[1] World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong Publishes Case Report of Conversation with Witness to Organ Harvesting
(http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2009/12/14/113122.html)
Chinese version available

Taiwanese Falun Gong Practitioner Arrested in China

(L to R)Two of Zhong's relatives, his mother, Zhong Ai, Legislator Cheng Li-chiun, Legislator Yu Emi-nu, chairman of the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association Chang Ching-hsi, and Falun Gong human rights lawyer Theresa Chu. Press conference to appeal for the urgent release of Zhong Dingbang, in Taiwan, on June 22. (Zhong Yuan/The Epoch Times)

TAIPEI, Taiwan—A Taiwanese businessman and Falun Gong practitioner was abducted by Chinese security forces last week, starting a campaign by his family to raise political and media attention about the case on the small island.

Zhong Dingbang left Taiwan on June 15 for a three-day trip to Ganzhou, China, to visit relatives. He was expected to return home on June 18, but never did. His phone was dead, too.

The relatives of Zhong’s wife and his daughter, Zhong Ai, in the mainland learned that domestic security forces had taken him away. They said he was needed to “help with an investigation into Falun Gong,” a peaceful spiritual practice that has been persecuted often relentlessly by the Chinese authorities since 1999.

Zhong is 53 and holds a Master’s in Engineering. He travels to China for business and to see relatives.

“The Taiwanese government needs to request that the Communist Party release my father from custody!” His daughter, Zhong Ai, wrote in a letter that was quickly circulated online.

Confronting the communist behemoth across the strait has so far not been the specialty of current Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou, however.

Lawmakers are putting pressure on him nevertheless. Legislator Yu Emi-nu took Mrs. Zhong and Zhong Ai to the Legislative Yuan office where they held a press conference recently. They discussed the persecution of Falun Gong in China and Mrs. Zhong’s 25 year marriage.

Zhong Ai, the daughter and a recent university graduate, said that although she doesn’t practice the discipline, she thinks it “teaches people to be better people … it’s a good spiritual belief that brings peace and harmony to our family.

It’s not like what the communist party describes it to be,” she added.

Theresa Chu, an attorney that often represents Falun Gong practitioners and litigates Chinese officials for genocide and torture, said that Zhong is probably now in the hands of the 610 Office, a secretive, powerful, and extrajudicial police agency that was established with the mission of “eradicating” Falun Gong in China, using whatever means necessary.

Ms. Yu, the legislator, pointed out that the reciprocal judicial assistance agreement reached by both sides of the strait requires a report about the place and reason for the detention of a Taiwanese citizen. It’s unclear whether the mainland will be furnishing that in this case. Falun Gong practitioners, persecuted and vilified by the ruling party, are often treated without recourse to any law in China.

There are somewhat encouraging precedents in cases like this, however. The detention of Falun Gong practitioner Lin Xiaokai in 2003 for example was handled at the presidential level, according to legislator Cheng Li-chiun. “We also demand that the Communist Party release Zhong Dingbang unconditionally, and allow his return to Taiwan to be reunited with his family,” Cheng said.

From 1998 to 2009 there were 14 Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners that were persecuted upon visiting mainland China, all serving periods of detention but being released before having to serve their full sentences.

Among them was Li Xinju, who was forced to by a spy by Chinese security forces. Li was made to collect information on Falun Gong practitioners around the world and intelligence about the election in Taiwan for use by the communists.

Read original Chinese article.

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