By Lina, the daughter of Falun Gong practitioner Liu Yanchen

(Clearwisdom.net) I am the daughter of Falun Gong practitioner Liu Yanchen from Jidong County, Heilongjiang Province. Unfortunately, I can no longer see my dear mother, since she was illegally arrested and repeatedly beaten by Communist Party officials because she practiced Falun Gong. After her detainment, she could not do the exercises for a long time, and eventually she died from a stroke.

When I was young, my mother was not healthy. She suffered from high blood pressure, heart disease, hives, and rheumatism. We spent all of our savings attempting to cure her diseases. We even sold our house, but we could not find a cure for her. In 1995, Mother started to practice Falun Gong, and all of her illnesses disappeared instantly. In July 1999, the government outlawed the practice of Falun Gong, and all practitioners, including my mom, felt very sad. In the winter of 1999, my mother went out to post truth-clarification materials, and she was illegally arrested and detained for 48 days. I was only six years old at that time, and it was really sad for me to live without my mother.

In the summer of 2000, my mother was reported on again and sent to a detention center. She was beaten by Li Qinghua, the leader of the Jidong County National Security Team, and her blood pressure rose to over 200. She went blind and was taken to the hospital for emergency treatment. My father tried to borrow money from many people to have her treated. Afterwards the police were afraid of being held responsible, so they had to send my mom home.

One evening in 2002, over ten policemen and the National Security Team took my Mom away and ransacked our home. They confiscated our Falun Gong books and some truth-clarification materials. At that time, I was only nine years old and there was no one to take care of me.

This time, Mom was beaten by the police again, and her blood pressure rose to over 300. She was sent to the hospital in shackles and handcuffs, and was also watched over by police officers. Later they sent her back to the detention center. There, she suffered from some other diseases. They asked my father to send her some medicine, but she did not get it. They wanted to send my mom to Harbin Forced Labor Camp, which is far away.

Because my mom's blood pressure continued to rise, they sent her home again. After that, our home was never quiet. The director of the Neighborhood Office and police officers came to harass us frequently. As a result my Mom's health became worse and worse.

In 2003, my mom's blood pressure was high for a long time. She was in the hospital three times because of cerebral hemorrhaging. On November 14, 2004, she was again taken away. I was 12 that year.

For several years, my father suffered tremendous mental pressure and had several breakdowns. His health was bad all the time. My mom was taken to a forced labor camp three times. Doctor's bills, cash deposits, and penalties totaled over 30,000 yuan. My family was heavily in debt, and my father was ill. My aunt had to adopt me, so that I could go to school in Jixi City. But my aunt could not afford the high tuition. In the summer of 2007, I came back to Jidong City to study. In order to get by, my father had to work outside, but what he earned could barely sustain us.

At that time I was in the third grade and we did not have a house. I felt lonely living by myself, but it could not compare to the sadness of losing my mom.
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By Zhen Yuyan

(Clearwisdom.net) The Divine Performing Arts presented its opening show of the Chinese Spectacular in Romania at the Teatrul National Bucuresti, the magnificent national theater, on the evening of April 7, 2008. At the end of the performance, the audience lingered in their seats after the cast responded to three curtain calls.


The audience breaks out in enthusiastic applause

Victor King is a music professor as well as a singer of opera and popular songs. He was apparently enthralled when the reporter approached him during intermission. As he said, "I teach music and I've seen tons of operas and ballets. I can say that this performance is gorgeous, and skill-wise, it's of the highest caliber. Frankly, I was flabbergasted with the incredible range of colors that appeared both on the costumes and the backdrop tonight."

He eagerly looked forward to the second half of the show, "I haven't seen such breathtaking costumes for a long time. The dances are stunning and the female dancers are beautiful and youthful. I love it. I think the theater will be even more packed tomorrow."

King said he learned through the Spectacular that ancient China is vastly different from modern China, adding, "I've never seen any show about Chinese culture prior to this one and I've never been to China. However, I oppose the torture and slaughter that is taking place in China right now."

His predictions came true, as the following night saw numerous Romanian artists and entertainers as well as an enthusiastic crowd in the theater. When the curtain fell on the final scene, tumultuous applause resonated throughout the theater, and the cast answered three curtain calls due to overwhelming response from the audience. Actress Oana Abu commended excitedly about the Spectacular, "A charming world, a mesmerizing culture! The performance is extremely professional and the dance moves are utterly precise. It's obvious the performers worked very hard for this show."

Reflecting from a more philosophical perspective that she gained from the lyrics, Ms. Abu said, "For me, the message is for us to examine our lives and our hearts and don't forget to endure."


Actor George Pirou compared enjoying the Spectacular to enjoying fine tea

Actor George Pirou compared the Spectacular to savoring the fragrance of good Chinese tea, "These people come from a place far away to put on a show. Among us, I feel extraordinary warmth, a beauty and a wonder that is different from anything else in the world. The rich emotions expressed by the performers, the colors, dances and music all impressed me deeply."

"I really hope to see more from the Divine Performing Arts. I hope they will thrive forever and perform here on a more frequent basis."

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[PureInsight.org] Tibet is a marvelous and beautiful place. It stands on the roof of the world, on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. With its azure blue sky and magnificent land, imposing ice-clad peaks, snowy mountain ranges, sapphire lakes spreading all over, green prairies stretching beyond the horizon, adorned with yaks and sheep, it is like walking into a huge painting scroll. The light on the prairie is so pure and bright. Its rich and bright colors are permeated with an innocent child's taste. It is a dreamland.


Tibetans are brimming with reverence and love for nature. They kneel and bow in worshipping sacred mountains and lakes. They endure cold and thin air and work arduously. They drink butter tea and watch the colorful wind flags and spotlessly white silk scarves fluttering in the wind. They sing the resounding pastoral songs and dance in their long-sleeved dress. Their simple smiles are shown on their ruddy faces. Their personalities are gentle and tolerant.


Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple, in alternating red and white colors, towering aloft in the mountaintop, are the holy places of Tibetans. Being Buddhists, Tibetans go on pilgrimages as their life long endeavor. Pilgrimage to the holy city of Lhasa is the supreme and the most important thing in their life.


People in endless streams go on pilgrimages year round. Tens of thousands of Tibetans, converging into a mighty torrent from villages, march toward Lhasa slowly and resolutely. Men and women, old and young, trudge a long distance. They use their bodies to measure the distance to the holy temples: they press their palms together devoutly over their heads and crawl on their whole bodies with their hands outstretched and their foreheads touching the earth. They repeat each step more than a hundred thousand times and endure untold hardships. Their devout, firm, and tenacious spirits shock and move people.


Temples stand in great numbers. Multicolored flags dance about in the wind. People often see gray-haired old women turning a tube with scripture inside and Lamas in red robes singing scriptures and praying. Leisure and tranquility fill the air. All distracting thoughts and grievances are filtered out. People are relaxed and serene. Heaven and earth are so close. Humans and gods are connected.


Tibet, the vibrating beauty lets countless people lose themselves in reverie. Tibet, it is another lifestyle that reflects the ancient mysterious reality. Its beauty is now being destroyed by commerce relentlessly and torn by pollution. Politics have suppressed and distorted the people's beliefs. Everyone who loves Tibet feels pain. Now people around the world are concerned about the sanguine shooting by Chinese police. Tibet, Tibet, we pray for you.



Translated from:
http://www.secretchina.com/news/237336.html

By Reporter Xinyu Huaqing from Sydney

(Clearwisdom.net) On the evening of April 2, 2008, the Divine Performing Arts (DPA) presented their first showing of the Chinese Spectacular at the Sydney Entertainment Center.

Before the DPA arrived in Australia, more than 60 politicians and celebrities sent congratulatory letters and wished the performance success. In Sydney, politicians, celebrities, and honored guests--including three senators, five provincial assemblymen, several mayors, city assemblymen, artists, dancers, musicians, the principal of an art school, and specialists from various fields--all came to the first performance.

The honored guests were astonished by the wonderful performance. Afterward, some were very emotional and were anxious to share their impressions. People of all different nationalities applauded enthusiastically.


More than 2000 people attended the first performance in Sydney


People in the audience paid close attention to the performance


Attentive audience members

Senator: Brilliant presentation of Chinese culture, worthwhile for everyone

Senator Kerry Nettle and her mother, Beverley, came together to the performance. During intermission, Kerry accepted an interview and said, "Chinese culture is so wonderful, but we never see this kind of show in Australia. It is really an eye-opener. In Australia, we seldom have a chance to appreciate such Chinese culture. I think that everyone should come to this performance."


Senator Kerry Nettle and her mother

Senator Nettle commented, "'The Mongolian Bowl Dance' was a bit of Chinese culture I had never seen before." She also complimented soprano Huang Biru and baritone Qule, "Huang Biru sings so beautifully, and Qule is also wonderful."

The program "The Power of Awareness" portrayed the CCP' s persecution of Falun Gong. Characters in the portrayal awakened and came forward to help stop the persecution. Senator Nettle, who has paid close attention to China's human rights issues for a long time, said the piece impressed her deeply.

Her mother said, "This is a wonderful show that seeks to present the inner meanings of the culture, and in that it is very successful. We saw prosperous periods in history and long lost culture portrayed artistically. I think that they are talented artists." As for her favorite program, Beverley said, "'The Nymphs of the Sea' impressed me the most. The dancers, the costumes, and the changing of the programs are outstanding."


Provincial Assemblyman Jonathan O'Dea

After the show, Provincial Assemblyman Jonathan O'Dea expressed his admiration for Chinese culture and said, "The programs are meaningful and make you think. I liked them all. They are arranged very well and the combination of dancing and singing is marvelous. Very refined and precise--beautiful." He thought that the performers were very professional and did very well. "Their world tour performances will give more people a chance to learn about and know how profound Chinese culture is."


Assemblyman Ian Cohen

Assemblyman Ian Cohen saw the Chinese Spectacular performance again this year. He said that the performance deeply impressed him. He thought that the show was attractive and spectacular and that the dances were really wonderful. He was especially fond of the Erhu performance. Cohen said that the costumes this year were more colorful and very attractive. "People can appreciate different cultures and the refined programs benefited both Chinese and people from different nationalities." His favorite piece was "The Fruits of Goodness" that reveals different aspects of the spirit.

Celebrities from art circles learn about the profoundness of Chinese culture

The successful performance also impressed people in the arts. Many celebrities praised the performance with emotion and happiness. Famous singer Helen Sindelar said, "The costumes are special and very beautiful. This outstanding cultural and artistic performance enables people to learn about and realize the greatness of the culture. The show is special and has never been seen by Westerners. I am honored to be able to watch the show."


Singer Helen Sindelar (right)

Ms. Sindelar especially loved "Drummers of Tang Court," which she thought was a magnificent and pushed the whole show to a rousing climax, "I liked the drum dance because it was so compelling. The program combines dance with beating drums. It was so wonderful!"


Singer Kamahl

Singer Kamahl, renowned for his singing, was awarded the Australia OEM. He sincerely recommended the show to everyone. He said, "The performance was excellent! The singing was wonderful, especially the tenor. Also, the stage production and dances were outstanding. 'Drummers of Tang the Court' was very good."

As for revealing the facts about Falun Gong, he said, "The performance gives us a very good message. If everyone abided by "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," how nice it would be. If we really have these principles, there would be no problems in the world."


Dancer Katy Manning

Katy Manning has been a dancer for many years. After the first half of the performance, she said that she thought that the whole performance was wonderful, especially the dances, and that their movements and costumes were very professional. She thought that the male dancers were handsome and powerful, while the female dancers were beautiful. She wished to congratulate the Divine Performing Arts and tell them how much she loved them.

Soprano Marian thought that the whole show was arranged very naturally, smoothly, and on a high level. The colors were very beautiful and in harmony. She said that she liked the "Mongolian Bowl Dance" and the soprano solos. She felt the story in "The Rising Lotus Flower" was very touching.


Soprano Marian

Ann Dell is the principle and professional ballet teacher at the Sydney Ballet School. After the show, she said that she was astonished by the profoundness of Chinese culture. "I am lost in admiration for Chinese culture. I want to learn more about the inner meanings of Chinese culture and the content behind it and relative to the beliefs. Through this performance, people in the Western world can learn about the richness of Chinese culture. I liked the colorfulness of the performance, and the refined design of the backdrop makes you feel that you are part of it."

From the point of view of a professional, Dell thought that the technology used in the performance was very advanced, "The dancers moved so gently, as if they were flying in the sky. I cannot find the words to describe what I felt about it all."

Dell said that her favorites were "Nymphs of the Sea "and "Drummers of the Tang Court."

The first Chinese Spectacular performance ended in warm applause from the audience. When the performers took a curtain call, the clapping continued for a long time and the audience was reluctant to leave.

Posting date: 4/8/2008

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