(Clearwisdom.net) Part 1: http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2008/1/20/93445.html

3. The Divine Performing Arts Show Embodies Traditional Chinese Values

"From the start, I found it very artistic, like watching a beautiful view with a musical background; then more and more contents were revealed. When the three characters, 'Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance' appeared on the sky screen, I felt it reaching its peak, connecting ancient history with today. I saw the glorious victory." (Kathy J. Segal, a psychologist from Philadelphia)

"Every number on the program is extremely beautiful and sensational. The most meaningful aspect was the emphasis on Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance and the power it brings to the world." (Huang Zhenyu, a reporter/columnist from New York)

"From the first part of the show, 'Descent of the Celestial Kings' to the last one, 'Drummers of the Tang Court,' the whole performance shows a delicate and magnificent atmosphere, demonstrating pure kindness and respect for divine beings and virtue. It presents the power of new life and hope to all people." (Guo Jingzi, critic from New York)

"If people want to see a professional show with beautiful costumes, skilled dancing, high morality, and good stories, this show should be highly recommended." (Edward Charles, Board Member of John Creek Business Association in Georgia, USA, in charge of Music and Arts)

"When the three characters, 'Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance' appeared on the screen, we were stunned, feeling that the characters were very meaningful and with a powerful message." (Lou and Barbara Young, an elderly couple from Dallas)

Renowned economist Cheng Xiaonong stated, "The show opens a new era and presents Chinese traditional culture without any trace of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) culture. It is what people need now."

Professor Roderic Gorney is a psychology professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. He said that the messages conveyed in the show, such as honesty and compassion, are universal values that everybody should follow. They are common values in both East and West.

In late 2007, one incident became the most popular topic on Chinese websites: a well-known TV hostess went uninvited to a press conference on the Olympics broadcast through China Central Television and exposed her husband, who was one of the major figures at the conference, about his extra-marital affairs. The hostess cited several times the words of a French diplomat, that before she could export her values, China could never become a great nation. This incident stimulated a discussion about "values." As a body, Chinese society has lost its traditional values. Cheap products exported by China all over the world cannot make China a truly great nation.

Although the Chinese Communist Party has been trying hard to create the image of a great country, the country is facing a crisis of moral decline under the banner of economic development. An article in the Wall Street Journal stated that in today's China, where communism had failed, "getting rich" is the belief of most Chinese. China is heading in a frightening direction because people are not bound by morality, belief, and law; the society is not monitored by a free media; and the materialistic worship of money has become the mainstream ideal and national "religion."

Where are traditional Chinese values? They lie in the traditional culture that has been abandoned by the CCP. The culture of five thousand years has established many virtues such as honesty, kindness, forbearance, mercifulness, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom and loyalty. The efforts of Divine Performing Arts are to demonstrate traditional Chinese values and to rejuvenate traditional Chinese culture, which must be the root and foundation of China's rejuvenation.

Christine Walevska, a world-renowned cellist, said that the Divine Performing Arts shows are worth watching a hundred times. She greatly appreciated the spiritual forces projected by the show.

Ms. Lin Xilin, a renowned "Rightist" [persecuted for years by the CCP] in China and former correspondent for China Youth Daily, said: "The show displays solemn divine kingdoms, the graceful Qing Dynasty palace and the current China proper. It shows righteousness conquering evil. It also displays images from the great Tang dynasty battlefield, to the flower blossoms of the Southern China water townships, to the dreamy realms of Western musical serenades." She also said, "What attracted me to watch the Divine Performing Arts shows repeatedly? What touched my soul so deeply? Watching Divine Performing Arts perform is like a baptism that purifies the soul."

Fred Kaminski, a professional actor in New York, pointed out that the whole show had a highly rich sensitivity. He could feel energy from higher levels. Messages conveyed by the dance dramas can penetrate through to people's hearts and souls and touch the best side of humanity.

Peter Redmond is a chiropractor in Philadelphia. He said: "In the show, it seemed I could touch this huge energy at any time. I saw beings struggle between humanity and the divine. The lyrics have much wisdom."

Mr. Jiang Wei, an elderly Chinese man in Dallas, Texas, said the Divine Performing Arts show is vivid and perfectly satisfying.

Kathy J. Segal, a psychologist in Philadelphia, commented that the show was really excellent, spanning time, space and cultures. The show was sensitive and poetic. She said that the visual effects were very beautiful, seemingly coming from another world.

Carolina Escobar, CEO of a New York company said: "The whole show is marvelous, pleasing and peaceful. At the same time, the show is touching, touching deep into people's hearts."

Woody Hunder, a former US Navy captain said: "I love the theme of the whole show. When I heard the song, 'But a Moment's Chance,' I was very moved. I felt the song came just for me. I felt that God came down to me."

"The show presented a state of purity, especially on the spiritual level. What moves me the most in the show is Gods sacrificing themselves to save the world when the world's morality is deteriorating" (Wang Juntao, a renowned Chinese democracy activist and Chairman of the Board of the Chinese Constitutional Reform Association. Wang holds a PhD. degree in Political Science from Columbia University)

China is also called the divine land. The theme of the Divine Performing Arts shows is rediscovering the Chinese five-thousand-year-old divine culture. Hundreds of thousands of audience members experienced the aspiring "spirit" of traditional Chinese culture displayed by the show. Now the CCP is also trying to promote so-called "restoration"of traditional Chinese culture. However, the CCP, inheriting foreign communist ideas, regards "atheism" and "materialism" as the absolute standards from which to examine Chinese culture. The CCP criticizes "respecting Gods and nature" in traditional Chinese culture and treats it as "feudalistic superstition." And the CCP even distorts "assimilation of humans and the heavens" in the Confucian School and "the way of Tao by nature" in the Taoist School, and presents them as ancient "atheism", which totally destroys the essential characteristics of the Confucian School and the Taoist School.

Why does one want to be a good person? Why should one be earnest and kind-hearted? The "Heavens" or "Gods" in Chinese culture have been the fundamental basis of all morality for several thousand years. If the heavenly principles are denied, morality can never exist. Communism also claims that morals will improve when society becomes rich. However, how many people are willing to become the first good person with the forbearance to suffer any loss in a communist society that takes "atheism" as its ultimate belief? Practice has shown, in such a society, that morality declines very quickly. Isn't today's China like this? No matter how much effort the CCP makes to promote so-called "culture" without respect for Gods and heavenly principles, it cannot prevent social morality from declining. Only by respecting the Heavens, can society have a basis on which to reconstruct morality.

(To be continued)