Scottish Audiences Thrill to Shen Yun Performing Arts: Everyone Should See This Show

Shen Yun Performing Arts 2009 World Tour opened at the Edinburgh Playhouse in Scotland on April 8, 2009.

Ms. MacMillan works as a professional theatrical costume maker throughout Scotland, and was particularly impressed with the performers' costumes. "I thought they looked just beautiful--they made a very good impression. I think the costumes were very suitable for the moods for each piece. Some were particularly dramatic."

Her favourite dance was "Welcoming Spring," "The fabric on the sleeves was very elegant. I also enjoyed the men--they were very dramatic and strong. And I also enjoyed the uniformity of the dancing."

Ms. MacMillan said, "I enjoyed the three singers, not to mention the lady who played the piano--absolutely excellent." She also truly appreciated seeing classical Chinese dance, "I think it's wonderful that you bring your culture here."

Mr. Kinder, a senior lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, thought the show "was excellent, endearing and affectionate towards Chinese culture. We have a great deal to learn from China--mutual respect--best conveyed as a sharing of intellectual ideas, like we have seen today."

"I would recommend any one to come along to this show. The students from the university, whom I have seen here tonight, they have all had a great time!" said Mr. Kinder.

Creative Director and Artist: Fabulous Show!

Graham, creative director of an advertising company and a watercolour artist, described the Shen Yun performance as colourful and vibrant and as a "fabulous show." "I think the choreography impressed me most of all. Very, very good, indeed," he said.

Graham appreciated the dramatic pieces in the performance. He thought the dance "Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution," which brings the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China to light, was simple, dramatic, and beautifully done.

Graham was particularly impressed by the vocalists. "The singing was fantastic--all of them. Overall, a wonderful show. You couldn't fault it--really!" he said.

"I would see it again!"

Another couple said that they had never seen anything like Shen Yun before. Managing director of his own building company, Mr. Lamb said, "A very relaxing, beautiful show. Everything was lovely about it. We've seen nothing like this before, never. And I have been in the Far East myself. It's a pity you're not back tomorrow night. It's an excellent show; you couldn't fault it. If you did, there is something wrong in there!" he joked as he indicated his head.

The beautiful scenery of the backdrops impressed Mr. Lamb. He said, "The backdrop was beautifully done, as well as the effects. I would go back and see it again. Could you get them to do it over again?" he joked.

"We wish them all good health and happiness. I hope they achieve everything they want to achieve in life," he said warmly.

Mrs. Sanderson, a jazz musician

A jazz musician responded with great joy upon seeing the show for the first time. "It was fantastic. It was very vibrant. There were so many things that I had never seen before!" Mrs. Sanderson said after attending the show.

"I particularly loved the one with the girls with the really long skirts in the really wide stripes. I mean they were circling and they turned into circles. It was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful." She said, referring to "Dance of the Yi."

The Yi minority people of Southern China are famous for their love of music and dance. They have a traditional way of dress with long, full skirts, and embroidered head coverings. In the dance, Yi women swirl and lift their brilliantly coloured silk skirts to express a playful spirit.

"To me [the dances] are very passionate. I found that very exciting. I think I probably really enjoyed the Tibetan dance the most. That was my favourite, yes."

Source: http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/15083/ http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/15094/ http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/15086/

Sweden: Falun Dafa Practitioners Expose the Persecution and Commemorate the April 25 Appeal

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Practitioners protest against the persecution in front of the Chinese Consulate in Sweden to commemorate the peaceful April 25 Appeal

It has been ten years since ten thousand Falun Gong practitioners peacefully appealed on April 25, 1999. Practitioners held activities in front of the Chinese Embassy and Consulate in Sweden to commemorate the event.

Practitioners protest against the persecution in front of the Chinese Embassy in Sweden to commemorate the peaceful April 25 Appeal.
Falun Gong practitioners clarify the facts about the peaceful appeal on April 25, 1999.

In the morning on April 24, 2009, Falun Gong practitioners held a peaceful appeal in front of the Chinese Consulate in Goteborg, Sweden. They protested against the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) decade-long brutal suppression of Falun Gong.

Three witnesses of the April 25 Appeal in 1999 talk about the incident in an interview.

In the morning of April 25, practitioners came to the Chinese Embassy in Stockholm and held up banners in both Chinese and Swedish saying "Ten year anniversary of Falun Gong's April 25 peaceful appeal," "Freedom of belief," and "Stop the persecution of Falun Gong." Practitioners also did the exercises in front of the embassy. They continued to peacefully protest the suppression and call on the international community to help stop the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong.

Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Li Zhihe is a witness of the peaceful appeal in 1999. He spoke to staff members in the Chinese Embassy through a loudspeaker. He talked about how the 610 Office persecuted him and his family because he went to the State Council Appeals Office to clarify the facts about Falun Dafa. Mr. Li, refusing to give up Falun Dafa, was forced to leave China and came to Sweden.

Many passersby stopped to inquire about what had happened. A Swedish man was angered by what he was told and said, "The CCP should have disappeared from the earth a long time ago. Only they can do something like this."

A man walked by with his child and learned what had happened for the last ten years. He shook his head, "Unbelievable. How could this happen to those who want to express their opinion to the government? You did the right thing! You should let people know what happened so that you can expose and stop their evil conduct. Thank you!"

Some people in cars slowed down and showed their support by honking and sticking out their thumbs. Many pedestrians took the informational fliers and expressed their sympathy and support.

In the afternoon, practitioners gathered at Kungstradgarden in downtown Stockholm. They demonstrated the Falun Gong exercises and set up banners and displays. They continued to expose the persecution by the CCP and how it lied about the appeal being a "siege". Practitioners laid out evidence of the CCP's brutal tortures and persecution of Falun Gong over the past ten years .

Many pedestrians read the information on the displays carefully and asked questions. Dioy is from Italy, and he said that he learned about the persecution of Falun Gong back in Italy. He believes that no government or individual has the right to violate others' religious freedom. He liked Falun Dafa and learned the five exercises from the practitioners.

Dioy said that he had been boycotting labour-intensive products made in China as a way to protest the persecution of Falun Gong. He hoped other countries can pay attention to it and help stop the persecution soon. He later joined the practitioners' exercise demonstration in front of the Stockholm City Hall.

Call for an End of the Persecution

Ms. Wang, spokesperson for the Falun Dafa Association in Sweden, spoke at the rally and condemned the CCP's defamation of the peaceful appeal. The CCP called the practitioners who exercised their constitutional right "laying siege to the central government" and used it as an excuse to launch the nationwide suppression.

Mr. Li Chenguang was at the appeal in 1999. Mr. Li said that they happened to be near Zhongnanhai, but that wasn't their final destination. They were heading to the appeals office. Also, if over ten thousand people were really attacking the central government, the CCP would have mobilized military troops to the scene, and it wouldn't have been that quiet there.

Practitioner Mr. Kong Bin remembered those around him at the appeal. They came from all walks of life, a teacher, a banker, and a government employee. Everyone had good intentions and wanted to tell the government what they thought. "It was peaceful there," said Kong, "The police were idle on the streets. We did not surround Zhongnanhai. In fact, we left a lot of room at the entrances of many government buildings for people to come and go."

Mr. Li Zhihe said at the end, "Like I have always done, I will continue to expose the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong by citing my personal experience. I will help more people understand the evil nature of the CCP. The protests will not be over until the persecution ends."

Hungary: Activities Held in Budapest to Raise Awareness of the Persecution

On April 11, 2009, practitioners gathered in Budapest for activities in front of the Chinese Embassy and in the downtown core to raise awareness of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) brutal persecution of Falun Gong, and to appeal for action to help end the persecution.

Practitioners meditate outside the Chinese Embassy to protest the persecution	Two practitioners who were persecuted in China told police officers about their suffering
Hero's Plaza: Practitioners demonstrate the Falun Gong exercises, attracting many tourists	A lady reads Falun Gong pamphlet while her son takes photos

Hero's Plaza: Practitioners demonstrate the peaceful Falun Gong exercises

In the morning, practitioners went to the Chinese Embassy in Budapest to protest the persecution which has killed more than 3000 innocent Falun Gong practitioners and broken tens of thousands families. During the protest, several embassy staff members came out to photograph and video the practitioners.

Two Chinese practitioners who personally experienced the persecution in China told local police officers their stories. One of the practitioners said, "Hungary experienced Communist tyranny and now you are enjoying freedom. In China, Chinese people are still suffering as you did in the past and now we want freedom. We need your understanding and support." The police officers listened quietly and nodded their heads occasionally, accepting copies of various truth-clarifying materials to take with them. The practitioners thanked them for their support and sympathy.

The practitioners then went to Hero's Plaza in the downtown core to clarify the truth to tourists and local residents. They set up posters on ground and then demonstrated the peaceful and graceful Falun Gong exercises. Their demonstration attracted many people to read the posters and take photos.

After reading all the posters one after another, a tall man pressed his hands in front of his chest and bowed toward the practitioners to express his respect and appreciation. A lady in a wheel chair spent a long time in front of the posters reading and pondering. Her son took many photos of the peaceful demonstration. A young girl asked her friends to take many photos of her using the practice site as background.

In the afternoon, practitioners went to a Chinese market to distribute Epoch Times newspaper and urge fellow Chinese people to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. Initially, a man in his fifties didn't want to listen, so the practitioners patiently talked to him. After about 10 minutes of conversation, the man said: I know the Communist Party has done countless evil things! He then requested copies of the Epoch Times in order to learn more about the quitting the CCP movement.

Germany: Chinese Audience Members Greatly Impressed with the Shen Yun Show

On April 14, 2009, Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company staged one show in Dresden, Germany. The splendid performance generated warm applause and acclamation from the audience. Chinese audience members were especially proud of Shen Yun's promotion of traditional Chinese culture. A father and his daughter from Shanxi, Chin, enjoyed the Shen Yun show so much that they went to see it several times in Berlin and made a special trip to Dresden to watch it again.

Chinese violinist: I am fortunate to be able to see the Shen Yun show

Chinese violinist Wang Yi-yao, a visiting professor at Dresden University of Technology

Wang Yi-Yao, a violinist from Taiwan said, "I think the show is great. It is meaningful to promote traditional Chinese culture by combining Chinese and Western musical instruments. I am touched by the orchestra that presents Eastern music in such an accurate, delicate, and perfect manner. It is difficult to do that."

Mr. Wang was born in Taiwan and has studied violin since he was four-and-a-half years old. He went to the US to study music when he was ten. He obtained his Bachelor's, Master's, and and Doctorate degrees in the US. Currently he is a visiting professor at the Dresden University of Technology and teaches German music history and Chinese music. He has given violin concerts in Salzburg, Vienna, Romania, France, and Italy. He won the Fritz Thyssen Prize in 2008, the championship award in the Hollaender Calix Kunstleragentur Internationales Wettbewerb, a major contest in Vienna, and the Emilia Conde Career Development Fund and Emilia Conde Award for Outstanding Young Musicians in New York.

He said, "I like the erhu very much since I play violin. The erhu is an instrument that represents Chinese culture very well. Its sound is delicate. There are only two strings. It is hard to know which part to press. It is a musical instrument that require a high degree of skill to master. The erhu performer in the show played very well. The sound was accurate and delicate. Her playing coordinated with the piano in a delicate and perfect manner."

Mr. Wang added, "The show gives me a hint: it reminds me of the charm of Chinese culture and that it is important to have cultural exchange between countries. For example, the Chinese music was played accurately with Western musical instruments in the show. They [the two musical traditions] are so different. But they are consistent in expressing human beings' happiness, the value and meaning of life, and human emotions. Thus both are important means of expression. "Chinese culture and history are well known all over the world. Chinese people are diligent and have made a big contribution to world culture. The show presents dances showing Buddhas, Daos, and deities, which is very good. Deities teach humans to be kind. People can learn a lot from the 5,000-year-old Chinese culture. As a Chinese, it makes me proud."

Mr. Wang concluded, "I would like to let the Shen Yun artists know they are admired. They are promoting Chinese culture all over the world. As a Chinese, I am fortunate and moved to see such a nice show. They have made a huge contribution to Chinese culture."

Chinese tourists appreciate Shen Yun

Mr. Teng and his wife, both retired, are from Shanghai. They came to Germany to visit their daughter and to tour Europe along the way. On April 14, their German son-in-law specially drove more than five hours to bring them to Dresden to see the Shen Yun show.

After the show, Mr. Teng commented, "The show is wonderful. It is very good to promote Chinese culture and have Westerners learn something about Chinese history, because non-Chinese do not know China well. They only know about Chinese martial arts. The Shen Yun show promotes Chinese culture with unique features. Through art and music, I feel it presents Chinese culture very well."

Mrs. Teng agreed that the show was great. She noticed the talent in the Shen Yun company. She said, "Nowadays many talented Chinese people are living overseas. The majority of them do not return to China. It indicates that something is wrong with the Chinese system of government. There are no human rights in China."

Concerning the dance about the persecution of Falun Gong, Mrs. Teng said emotionally, "Falun Gong has been persecuted in China for ten years. One dares not to mention it in China. Yet it is practiced so openly in foreign countries. I feel more comfortable overseas after comparing China with other countries. One person distributed Falun Gong flyers in my residential area in China and was arrested for it. Arresting practitioners is still rampant."

Mr. and Mrs. Teng ended the interview by expressing their appreciation to the Shen Yun artists for their hard work and splendid performance

Mr. Sun Dianbin Suffers Food Deprivation and Other Abuses at the Daqing City Prison

Mr. Sun Dianbin from Jixi City

Falun Dafa practitioners held at the Daqing City Prison in Heilongjiang Province are not able to enjoy the most basic of human rights. They are cruelly tortured for even the slightest provocation, including not fulfilling the guards' unreasonable demands. Mr. Sun Dianbin, 38, from Jixi City, is among those practitioners who was tortured recently.

On March 22, 2009, Mr. Sun' s mother travelled to the Daqing City Prison to see her son. The guards told her that she was not allowed to visit with him because he refused to wear the official prison uniform. When his mother went to the chief of the Political Department, Li Weilong--who is in charge of persecuting practitioners at the prison--and requested to see her son, her request was denied. After some discussion between prison officials and Mr. Sun, someone put the prison uniform on Mr. Sun and only then was he allowed to see his mother.

During the meeting, the mother saw that her son looked weak and his hand was trembling while holding the telephone. She realized that the guards must have deprived her son of food because he refused to wear the prison uniform. In addition, every time Mr. Sun's aunt went to visit him, the guards turned her away. After the meeting with his Mom, Mr. Sun took off the uniform and threw it to the floor, saying, "We are not criminals, so how could we wear a criminal's uniform?!"

Practitioners who refuse to wear a prison uniform at the Daqing City Prison are routinely tortured using food deprivation and many are currently in critical condition. After witnessing their pitiful state, some guards were moved to speak out on behalf of the practitioners.

Mr. Sun, who lives at the Lishu District in Jixi City, has been unemployed for a while. His previous employer was the No. 2 Well of the Muling Mine of the Jixi Coal Mine. In 2001, he was arrested by officers from the Lixinkuang Police Station and sentenced to ten years in prison by the Jiguan District Court in Jixi City, in December of that same year.

In April 2002, Mr. Sun was transferred to the Harbin City Prison and locked in a small, dark cell at the No. 1 Ward by Zhang Jiushan, the deputy leader of the Group Training Section. He is also the person in charge of forcing practitioners to write the three statements.

Zhang assigned Xu Ziqiang and Yu Junjie (inmates) to handcuff Mr. Sun and force him to wear shackles weighing 40 lbs. In addition, Mr. Sun's handcuffs and shackles were tied together to a ring that was bolted to the floor, forcing his body into a very uncomfortable position. Xu then punched and kicked Mr. Sun's head, chest, back, and legs causing injuries all over his body. Mr. Sun was hit so hard and for so long that at one point he stopped breathing.

Mr. Wang Dayuan, from Harbin City, was beaten to death at the Daqing City Prison because he refused to write the "four statements" (see http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2004/9/3/52042.html). The guards were so afraid that their crimes would be exposed that they transferred four practitioners to different prisons. In July 2004, Mr. Sun was transferred to the Daqing City Prison and has been tortured there ever since.

In March 2009, Li Weilong, a prison official, started another round of persecution at the Daqing City Prison. During meal times, they let other inmates eat, but would not let practitioners enter the gate of the dining hall. The guards often used various excuses to take the practitioner's clothes off and beat them.

The Daqing Prison

On February 17, 2009, the guards began to specifically target four practitioners: Mr. Zhai Zhibin, Mr. Li Chao, Mr. Li Hongkui, and Mr. Liu Guifu, who were all being held at the No. 4 Ward. Using the excuse of needing to "reorganize" the ward, they tortured these four practitioners by forcing them to go outside to perform very strenuous physical exercises every morning and every afternoon.

At one point, the practitioners refused to do the torturous exercises. Guards Chu Zhongxin, Liu Guoqiang, and Li Jinhao, who are in charge of persecuting practitioners at the No. 4 Ward, brutally beat them. Mr. Zhai's developed a large bump on his head that bled profusely, while the other three practitioners suffered arm, leg, and hip injuries.