CHANGHUA, Taiwan—On April 20, 2025, Shen Yun Performing Arts held its third and final performance at the Yuanlin Performance Hall in Changhua, the granary of Taiwan, capping off three consecutive days of packed performances and impressive ticket sales.

Through its world-class artistry, Shen Yun brought to life China’s divine cultural heritage, deeply moving audiences from all walks of life. Many saw it as a hope for Chinese culture and felt as though the divine had truly come to Earth. The audience also experienced the extraordinary energy and spiritual light that radiated from the Shen Yun stage.

Based in New York, Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company, with a mission to bring to life “China before communism” through the arts.

As the curtain rose, Yu-lun Shih, Chair of the Taiwan Lions Blood Donation Committee, was struck by the stunning realism of Shen Yun’s high-tech backdrop, calling the performance “absolutely amazing” and praising its flawless synchronization with the dance.

She explained that she could clearly sense the production was thoughtfully crafted, with meticulous attention to detail.

Ms. Shih said the dancers conveyed a full range of emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, and love—through movement alone.

“It felt like watching a movie,” she said, “but even more intense. You could really connect with the emotions the characters were experiencing.”

“There was one scene about faith,” she explained, “and it reminded me of seeing Mazu during a temple procession. It felt like seeing a mother figure, and it was deeply moving. Many of us truly believe in the divine, and that moment really touched me.”

Mazu is a beloved sea goddess in Chinese culture, especially in Taiwan, known as a protector and motherly figure to those at sea.

“You can tell they’ve got great skills—they must’ve started young, with a lot of support from their parents,” she said. “They were all so talented and beautiful. I was already thinking of asking my son and daughter-in-law to bring the grandkids to see this.”

“It was nothing like I imagined—totally beyond expectations. You’ve got to see it!” he said.

“There were so many moments that really moved me,” Liu said with a smile.

“It was my first time seeing the show, and right from the start, I was overwhelmed—the colors were so vivid and intense. At first, I told myself to focus on the storyline, but then I couldn’t help thinking about the technical side. I studied 3D animation and visual effects, so I was immediately wondering how they created that digital backdrop. People were jumping in and out of it—how did they pull off that kind of projection?”

“It felt powerful—almost sacred,” he said.

“I believe in the divine—I’ve always believed that gods exist in this world,” Liu said. “But just believing is one thing. When you actually see it brought to life on stage, with the dancing and those visual effects, it really hits you. I don’t think I was the only one—I’m sure a lot of people felt that impact deep down.”

The Shen Yun mini-drama depicting the Chinese Communist Party’s live organ harvesting of people of faith particularly moved Liu.

“While I was aware of the organ issue in China, seeing it portrayed on stage really impacted me deeply, even though I didn’t cry. It really hit hard.

“Seeing how that young man was treated on stage really struck me,” he said. “If that were me, I can only imagine how terrifying it would be.”

Because of that, he really admired the Shen Yun artists’ hard work, saying, “That’s probably something ordinary people like us can’t even imagine.”

Mr. Liu loved how Shen Yun carries on 5,000 years of traditional culture. He said, “It’s like they’re using a stage play to show how things have evolved through 5,000 years of history. It makes me want to come back every year because there are just so many cultural stories from the history they could tell on stage.”

“Shen Yun is truly an impressive work of art and an inspiring show with a moral message,” he said. “It uplifts and purifies the soul. The values it conveys—truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance—are deeply meaningful and genuinely true.”

Mr. Chen attended Shen Yun for the first time with his family—four generations together, including his father in his 90s—a group of 11 enjoying the artistic spectacle.

“It went beyond my expectations—truly beyond,” he said.

As the curtain rose, the breathtaking beauty of the portrayed heavenly world struck Mr. Chen, inspiring a hope for a war-free world where people live together in harmony.

Troubled by current global instability and the looming threat of war, Mr. Chen believes the root cause lies in people losing touch with their hearts.

“Most people today are driven by self-interest,” he said. “But if we can purify our hearts, the world wouldn’t be in such chaos.”

He was particularly moved by the Shen Yun performance’s values—truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. He said, “That’s exactly what we need. It’s a deep and genuine truth for all of humanity.”

“Shen Yun has deeply impacted me,” Mr. Chen said. “Many have forgotten their fundamental purpose in life, their reason for being human.”

He believed Shen Yun could help awaken people’s inner conscience, guiding them to recognize their true hearts. He emphasized that understanding what constitutes a true heart is crucial, for only then can one contribute to society.

“This is the first time I’ve felt anything this wonderful,” he said. “What struck me most was the incredible skill of the dancers. It felt like their artistry was divinely bestowed, truly extraordinary and almost sacred.”

He said that the opening piece left the deepest impression on him. “It gave a wonderful feeling ... it felt like in this formless universe, there was a great ruler, perhaps God, or celestial beings, who scattered golden seeds, leading to the presentation of a diverse state of civilization in society.”

He shared that he felt as if he were one of those who followed the Creator to descend to the human world and establish human civilization. “I felt like I was also one of those golden seeds.”

Mr. Chen particularly appreciated how Shen Yun’s various dance dramas conveyed the artistic conception of traditional Chinese culture with divine origins, reminding people that Buddhas and gods are watching over humanity. “I felt like the final scene, in particular, was truly about divine beings coming to the human world, perhaps to save it and bring peace to society.”

Mr. Chen praised Shen Yun’s programs for also carrying forward positive values, noting, “Our traditional virtues, general principles for living, and moral character are reflected within the performance.”

She said the powerful sound of the gong at the opening left a lasting impression. “That gong—it was incredibly striking. It felt like it was waking up everyone in the audience,” she said.

She said, “In addition to courage and belief, they demonstrate a tremendous pursuit of inner strength and unwavering determination.”

“In the past, we often associated Chinese culture with acrobatics and the like, and that’s been the impression,” she said. However, she noted that Shen Yun now demonstrates such cultural excellence, which inspires a sense of hope for mankind.

“I believe Shen Yun is not just a professional artistic performance. What really moves me is that Chinese culture needs to be passed down in this way. Taiwan alone can’t carry it; it should be a legacy for the entire world.”

Ms. Chen believes that Shen Yun’s revival of Chinese culture is vital in today’s world.

“It’s really important because life isn’t just about the economy. Culture is something much deeper. For example, the reason we invited our colleagues to the show is that I feel we all need to improve ourselves.”

She added, “It’s not just about language; it’s also about culture. These aspects may not be visible, but they’re incredibly important.”

Ms. Chen has a keen eye for color and particularly praised Shen Yun’s use of color in its aesthetics. “It’s absolutely beautiful. … The lighting and all the other elements were just perfect. I feel that colors really bring out the vitality of the performance.”

She also believes that Shen Yun’s use of color is unique and radiates positive energy.

“The colors are full of energy. If we believe in the energy of the five elements, then the way they use so much orange, paired with the lighting, creates a truly stunning effect. It’s not just beautiful, but also full of powerful, positive energy.”

Ms. Chen also strongly identified with the universal values and traditional morals conveyed in Shen Yun’s performance.

Ms. Chen also shared that, although she doesn’t follow a specific religion, she deeply connects with the divine culture portrayed in Shen Yun.

“I believe science alone isn’t enough for humanity. We must live in harmony with nature. Only then can we truly understand the vastness of the universe, and in doing so, we must humbly strive to better ourselves.”

“I truly admire their dedication to persevering for so long and staying committed. It’s truly impressive,” she said.