(Clearwisdom.net) I would like to share my limited understanding about the content of Shen Yun, as well as my thoughts about its promotion.
1. The Content of Shen Yun
I went to see the same show four times this year. The first two times, I could only appreciate it at a very superficial level: the dancing, music, choreography, costumes, backdrops, all were very beautiful. But at the last two, it was different: The pleasure that I received was very great: Not only did I experience physical pleasure with my eyes and ears as they were filled with the beautiful dance and music, but my inner self was moved by the profound content. Here is what I understand.
Let us recall a few pieces in the program. For example, Wu Song Battles the Tiger: He killed it with his bare hands after he drank three bowls of wine. This story really exists in legends and myths in Chinese history. To us today, doesn't it inspire us that man can truly win over the fiercest animal - the tiger -after he has put down his human attachment to fear? Imperial Archers made me think of practitioners sending forth righteous thoughts, everywhere in all directions. One day when everyone aims his or her arrow at the same goal, it will be tremendous and could turn heaven and earth upside down. I also remembered having much pleasure watching In a Miao Village. Their village is hidden in a remote mountain. These people's hearts are pure and in harmony with nature, so their dance also reflects this heart. The simple steps of the dance and the resounding of their jewelry all call out for happiness and pure joy. As for the piece Splitting the Mountain, it spoke out more obviously for its spiritual meaning. This story can be found with some variances in the legends and myths of many nationalities about their first ancestors. It tells that humankind came into being from a heavenly mother and an earthly father. After coming to birth, man is buried under a mountain of matter. Only by diligently practicing cultivation can we free ourselves and become immortals again. The Buddha's Teachings Spread Far and Wide tells the story of the Tang monk who went to the West with his disciples like Sun Wu Kong (the Monkey King) and brought back the Buddhist scriptures. This story is well known--but how closely this story exactly applies to today's history of humankind! It is remarkable how Shen Yun uses this story to awaken people.
In each and every piece, there are many things, big and small and quite exquisite, which may fill our hearts with righteous thoughts, joy and pleasure. For example, I will always remember the way men in ancient times walk, righteously and straightforwardly, and the way women slide delicately while walking (like flying) and the way they smile, with such a gracious reserve like a flower just opening its petals. The respect shown to each other, to elderly people--these are things we have lost in today's society. That is why, to my view, the Shen Yun shows can bring precious things to our inner self, enriching it, refreshing it and bringing it closer to our divine origin.
Through my limited experience, I understand that Shen Yun presents great, high-level performances - beyond the ordinary. Therefore I would like to share a few thoughts about promoting Shen Yun.
2. Promoting Shen Yun Performances
When selling tickets in malls, we used to hear many casual comments such as, "I have seen it last year, it was very beautiful, but that's enough! I want to see other things this year." Or "I'm going on vacation; I haven't money, haven't time, am too old. We don't know how the weather will be that day, etc." Hearing these comments, I said to myself, "They don't know what's at stake. It is their bright future that they might miss." On the other hand, we have heard great reviews from artists, and people in the higher strata of society around the world saying such things as, "Shen Yun was perfection, the pinnacle of the arts;" "I am moved to tears;" "It was wonderful;" "I will certainly come back next year;" "I will recommend it to all my friends." The higher strata of society seem to know how to appreciate the content of the show right away at their first attendance.
Master also pointed out in ("Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference").
"The effect of a Shen Yun performance now counts it as the top show in the world--the best. (Applause.) And I don't just mean at present. I examined the quality of various shows during different eras of history, and ours is still the best. I'm referring to the theatrical effect of the performance, and this includes the artistic form as well as the artistic technique that's demonstrated. Ordinary people's performances can't compare, to be honest. "
A Western practitioner shared the following in a Clearwisdom.net article entitled: "What I Saw When Watching Shen Yun." (http://clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2010/3/19/115446.html) The practitioner wrote, "Every particle in the venue was bathed in a golden light, and everything in other dimensions was swirling, as if in a whirl of golden energy.... When the dancer held the banner "Falun Dafa Hao" in front of the public, the words shot into the venue in powerful rays. At this point, I saw heavenly beauties flying above the audience... They cast blankets of pure light. When the blankets fell over the audience's minds, all the filth, karma, and bad thoughts were being eliminated, and cleaned out from inside. I felt great compassion and care radiating from these flying beauties, as they took care of the audience as their own children."
Also at the "Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference," Master responded to a question with the following:
"Then as for the question of the ticket's worth, consider that this is the best artistry performed on any stage in the world, that divine beings are performing, and that a person's health problems are resolved when he watches the performance. And consider that when someone watches the show, the stress in his life from the economic crisis nowadays, no matter how great, will be completely dissolved and relieved; the person's troubles might truly disappear afterwards, he will feel as if he's seen the light at the end of the tunnel (laughter), and he will seem to have changed as a person, if not his finances too. (Applause.) This happens because, having made the right choice at the show, people will have their karma dissolved for them, and it will be transformed into blessings. And the health problems of many people disappear after they see the performance. Then what would you say: how much is that worth? Many audience members have said, just speaking about the quality of the performance at the most superficial level, that one ticket is worth $500--$500 U.S. dollars, that is. (Applause.) Be it in Europe, America, or other places, many audience members have said that it is worth $500."
So, considering the value of the Shen Yun performances, how should we promote the show? Who should we focus on when promoting our shows?
Master also said at the "Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference,"
"Looked at from another perspective, it is most definitely the case that in human society the upper class is endowed with a greater amount of blessing, and such people's inborn quality is better. While this isn't a hard and fast rule, it does hold true for the vast majority of people, since if they didn't have blessings allotted to them they wouldn't be entitled to what they have--unlike what the twisted logic of the wicked CCP says. We don't try to distinguish the rich from the poor, for we try to save all the sentient beings before us regardless of which class they belong to. So, it's not acceptable if we don't take care of the upper echelon of society. "
And later, Master also said,
"So, if you find a good venue for our performances, people from both the upper and lower classes will be happy to go. But if, on the other hand, the location is a poorer neighborhood or it's a venue that puts on low-end shows, neither upper nor middle class people will have anything to do with it. Whatever one may think about this, that's the reality of society."
To my understanding, we should focus and develop our promotion of Shen Yun in the upper circles of society. There are many advantages to this. 1) Such people don't have a problem with tickets prices. 2) They will become our regular and loyal audience year after year. 3) They will unintentionally do promotion for us in their social circle, which will have a cumulative, far-reaching effect. Therefore, the Shen Yun audience will grow year after year by itself. 4) As a consequence, people in the higher circles of society will understand the social crisis in China in spite of its economic growth: the persecution of good, innocent people and the crime of eliminating millennia of traditional Chinese culture by the authoritarian regime that is holding power. 5) People in the higher social strata have the potential to make decisions that can have an impact on the outcome of the future of the world. 6) Shen Yun can be effective year after year in fulfilling its mission of awakening the world's people. Master said in "Fa Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference,"
"After people see the performance they will speak from their heart about it publicly, spreading the word person to person, mouth to mouth. Soon there will be a sense of excitement brewing, and we will quickly be on the radar. At that point you will just need to write a few words and you're all set--"Shen Yun is returning!" You won't need to do much publicity. (Applause.!)"
Who should we try to reach in our promotion of Shen Yun? We should seek out politicians and leaders, civil servants, executives of big companies, professionals such as doctors, lawyers, judges, university teachers, schoolteachers as well as artists in different fields. As to how and when to get in touch with them, these questions must be discussed sincerely among practitioners in different areas.
I have heard that next year our Shen Yun tickets will be more uniform, with only one or two prices for all seats. I find this a very good idea as it has two advantages: Seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, which will encourage people to act early. This fact will establish by itself the trademark of Shen Yun: We treat everyone the same, with respect and dignity. This is also what we as practitioners are like when interacting with people: with a correct mind and attitude.
Conclusions:
1) The higher social strata should be our first priority when selling tickets
Such people must constitute the majority of our audience year after year. If we persistently work in that direction, we will build a solid basis for Shen Yun performances. Other people will also be encouraged to buy tickets, as the popularity of Shen Yun grows.
2) We should let people know that Shen Yun is sponsored by the Falun Dafa Association, NTDTV and Sound of Hope Radio.
In promoting Shen Yun, we have encountered a few people who said that they had seen the show last year, and, "... it is political, it is all Falun Gong," and if they had known that, they would not have gone to see it! This has led some practitioners to feel uneasy when answering to this issue. I think, on the contrary, that we should not try to hide anything from the potential audience. This is because, even in ordinary society, when someone produces something good, he or she will right away "sign" the product and register it as "copyright reserved." For example, there is Christian Dior, Saint Laurent, Chanel No. 5, etc. Shen Yun is such a high class performance! If we have righteous thoughts, people will realize that the "trademark" of "Falun Dafa/Falun Gong" in any field - whether it is the performing arts, media, arts exhibitions, arts competitions, etc. - will be a guarantee of something of high quality, high expertise and lofty creation.
To finish I would like to read Master's poem from Hong Yin Volume II:
Rational and Awake
Pause for a moment of self-reflection,
and increase your righteous thoughts
Thoroughly analyze your shortcomings,
and progress with renewed diligence
Category: Journeys of Cultivation
