Guest: Leeshai Lemish – Shen Yun Performing Arts
The CCP's Campaign Against Chinese Culture and Shen Yun's Artistic Resistance
At a time when traditional Chinese culture faces unprecedented threats from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Shen Yun Performing Arts stands as a beacon of resistance through artistic excellence. The New York-based performing arts company, which brings classical Chinese dance and music to stages worldwide, represents more than just entertainment – it embodies a mission to preserve and revive 5,000 years of Chinese civilization that the CCP has systematically tried to destroy.
The Cultural Revolution's Devastating Legacy
The roots of this cultural conflict trace back to 1949 when the CCP took power. Under Mao Zedong, the party launched campaigns to systematically eradicate traditional Chinese culture, recognizing that communist ideology was fundamentally incompatible with China's ancient spiritual and philosophical traditions.
"The first thing they set out to do was wipe out traditional Chinese culture," explains Leeshai Lemish, an 18-year veteran with Shen Yun. "They knew that communism was an import. This was not something native to traditional Chinese culture. It came out of the Soviet Union."
The Cultural Revolution represented the violent pinnacle of this campaign. Students were forced to beat their teachers in public. Children were turned against their parents. Temples were destroyed, books were burned, and monks and nuns were forced to marry. Even Western classical music was banned. Through these brutal tactics, the CCP sought to sever the Chinese people's connection to their heritage and values.
"Now you have several generations of people who grew up under that system," Lemish notes. Many young Chinese today remain unaware of this history. He recounts a telling example: "We had a very well-educated Chinese professor who spoke perfect English... and we were just watching a very basic entry-level documentary about the horrors of the Communist Party. And she was in tears. She did not know any of this."
Shen Yun: Artistry as Cultural Preservation
Against this backdrop of cultural devastation, Shen Yun emerged in 2006 with a bold mission – to revive traditional Chinese culture through world-class performing arts. Each performance features roughly 20 distinct pieces, ranging from classical Chinese dance and folk traditions to story-based pieces drawing from literature, mythology, and contemporary tales of courage.
The productions showcase the depth and sophistication of classical Chinese dance, which developed alongside martial arts over thousands of years. Many of the flips and athletic movements that audiences now associate with Olympic gymnastics and cheerleading originated in this ancient art form.
A full orchestra combining Western and Chinese instruments, intricate hand-made costumes, and state-of-the-art animated backdrops create an immersive experience that transports audiences through China's rich cultural landscape. Every year, Shen Yun creates an entirely new production with fresh choreography, music, and costumes.
The CCP's Multi-Pronged Attack on Shen Yun
The CCP's aggressive campaign to suppress Shen Yun reveals the party's deep fear of traditional culture's enduring appeal. Their tactics have evolved from crude attempts at censorship to sophisticated influence operations:
Direct Interference:
Chinese embassies and consulates pressure venues to cancel shows
Surveillance and intimidation of performers and staff
Sabotage attempts, including strategically damaged tour bus tires
Death threats against company members
Information Warfare:
Deployment of the "50 Cent Army" to flood review sites with negative comments
Suspected manipulation of search algorithms
Recruitment of social media influencers to spread anti-Shen Yun narratives
Attempts to plant negative stories in mainstream Western media
Legal Harassment:
Multiple frivolous lawsuits targeting Shen Yun's headquarters
Environmental complaints designed to generate negative press
Use of "lawfare" tactics to drain resources
The personal cost for company members is severe. Many performers with family in China face painful separation – they cannot return home, and their relatives' passports are often confiscated to prevent reunion elsewhere. Some have had family members arrested and sent to labor camps in retaliation for their involvement with Shen Yun.
A Universal Message Through Traditional Culture
Despite these challenges, Shen Yun's message resonates across cultural boundaries. Audiences from Tokyo to Puerto Rico find themselves moved by the universal themes of courage, loyalty, and spiritual faith embedded in traditional Chinese culture.
The shows particularly highlight the story of Falun Gong practitioners' peaceful resistance to persecution in China. This spiritual movement, which attracted 70-100 million practitioners in China during the 1990s, has faced brutal suppression since 1999. Through dance, Shen Yun portrays both the suffering and the remarkable resilience of those who maintain their beliefs in the face of oppression.
"If there's a message to the performance... one of them is hold on to the traditional culture, hold on to the kindness, and that's where you find hope," reflects Lemish. The company's ultimate dream is to one day perform in a China freed from communist rule, where people can once again openly embrace their cultural heritage.
For now, Shen Yun continues its mission abroad, presenting what cannot be seen in China – the beauty, dignity, and spiritual depth of traditional Chinese civilization. Each performance stands as an act of resistance against the CCP's campaign of cultural destruction and a testament to the enduring power of art to preserve truth and inspire hope.