[{"id":"52767","idText":"","urlFriendlyName":"20-anniversary-world-tour","parentId":"0","userId":"44","sectionId":"27","contentTypeId":"34","langId":"1","timeCreated":"2025-12-07 16:50:47","timePublished":"2025-12-07 16:25:54","timePublishedDisplay":"0","timeUpdated":"2025-12-12 16:44:05","orderByTime":"2025-12-07 16:25:54","ip":"72.43.130.26","title":"Shen Yun Celebrates 20th Anniversary With Landmark Global Tour","lastRevisionId":"0","protectMode":"1","password":"","passwordHint":"","commentNum":"0","ratingNum":"0","ratingAvg":"0","adminRefTime":null,"recommend":"0","sourceType":null,"commentEnable":"0","commentDisplay":"0","commentNeedApproval":"1","showOnWhatsnewAllPost":"1","status":"1","metaDescription":"How a performing arts organization rescued a culture and became the fastest-growing dance company in American history","metaKeywords":"","metaTitle":"Shen Yun Celebrates 20th Anniversary With Landmark Global Tour","userModified":"46","notes":"","contentTypeName":"pressRelease","totalCount":"62","username":"leeshail","userUpdated":"jingx","sectionName":"(English) Press Releases","extra":{"id":"427","contentId":"52767","featured":"1","location":"","introduction":"How a performing arts organization rescued a culture and became the fastest-growing dance company in American history.","body":"<p><em>How a performing arts organization rescued a culture and became the fastest-growing dance company in American history<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>December 7, 2025<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Shen Yun Performing Arts, the world&rsquo;s premier classical Chinese dance and music company, is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a historic global tour.&nbsp;<\/p><p>This season, Shen Yun:<\/p><ul><li>Will have&nbsp;<strong>eight equally large troupes&nbsp;<\/strong>performing simultaneously<\/li><li>Across&nbsp;<strong>five continents<\/strong><\/li><li>Taking the stage in&nbsp;<strong>21 countries<\/strong><\/li><li>And&nbsp;<strong>170 cities<\/strong><\/li><li>In front of&nbsp;<strong>one million people&nbsp;<\/strong>worldwide<\/li><\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>&ldquo;This milestone reflects the dedication of hundreds of artists,&rdquo; said Shen Yun Vice President and <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/artists\/view\/article\/e\/22xYytYCySo\/.html\">Conductor Ying Chen<\/a>. &ldquo;Our remarkable performers haven&rsquo;t just put on a world class show&mdash;they&rsquo;re carrying forward a cultural heritage and a set of values that they cherish deeply. They are among the best in the world, and their commitment is the reason we can celebrate twenty years today.&rdquo;<\/p><p>Established in New York&rsquo;s Hudson Valley in 2006, Shen Yun is marking two decades of extraordinary artistic achievement. Show after show, the company continues its mission to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, breathing life into a civilization that had been brought to the brink of extinction by communism.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>From humble beginnings as a group of volunteers, many of whom escaped persecution in China, Shen Yun quickly professionalized and grew from one to eight equally large touring troupes.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>Along with its hallmark classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun is home to the world&rsquo;s first orchestra to combine classical Western and Chinese instruments as permanent members. In what critics called an innovation in the world of performing arts, Shen Yun also patented interactive animated backdrops that extend the stage and instantly transport the audience to another world.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Shen Yun has become a must-see show, and the fastest-growing performing arts company in American history.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>&ldquo;Shen Yun lets the world see a China that the communist regime tried to destroy,&rdquo; said <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/artists\/view\/article\/e\/hBFlGVpHELU\/.html\">Principal Dancer Piotr Huang<\/a>. &ldquo;We began with a simple aspiration: to speak out about persecution and to share a culture that was nearly lost. Today, Shen Yun has become a cultural phenomenon that touches people from every walk of life.&rdquo;<\/p><p>&ldquo;As a dancer, Shen Yun has given me and my colleagues an environment to reach the peaks of our artistic potential,&rdquo; said Huang. &ldquo;If we were in China, we would face imprisonment. Here we have the opportunity to thrive.&rdquo;<\/p><p>It hasn&rsquo;t been easy. The organization&rsquo;s founders and performers were people who practiced Falun Dafa, the Buddhist-based spiritual meditation discipline brutally persecuted in China. They were driven by a sense of urgency&mdash;innocent people just like them being killed every day. As Western media largely turned a blind eye to the atrocities, these artists were willing to go the extra mile.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>They decided that not only would they celebrate the glory of ancient Chinese civilization, but also, as part of each performance, portray present reality in China and the courage of people of faith there.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Because of this daring portrayal, Shen Yun has incurred the wrath of the Chinese communist state. Through its embassies and consulates, networks of spies and secret agents, economic threats, and propaganda disinformation, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/challenges-we-face\">the regime came after Shen Yun in full force<\/a>. The performing arts company has endured slashed tires, break ins, and death threats&mdash;all on American soil. Meanwhile, performers&rsquo; family members in China have been harassed and even imprisoned.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>But through it all, Shen Yun has thrived, driven by faith and a sense of purpose. Now, after 20 years, Shen Yun is the world&rsquo;s gold standard for classical Chinese dance and has fully earned a reputation for artistic ingenuity, integrity, and resilience.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>Fun fact: The 20th anniversary is traditionally called &ldquo;the china anniversary.&rdquo;<\/em><\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><br \/><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>MEDIA CONTACT<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>For media inquiries, please write to: \r\ncontact@shenyunperformingarts.org.<\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>ABOUT SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Shen Yun is a nonprofit organization established in New York by elite Chinese artists, many of whom fled persecution. With the mission of reviving traditional Chinese culture, Shen Yun has become the world&rsquo;s foremost classical Chinese dance and music company, performing all-new programs globally every year.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>The 2026 production includes breathtaking new dances, never-before-seen stories, original scores, hundreds of dazzling costumes, and Shen Yun&rsquo;s patented animated backdrops. Learn more at: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/\">ShenYunPerformingArts.org<\/a>.<\/p>","tag":"","imageId":"22588","imageIdFeatured":"22588","videoLink":"","videoId":"0","contentRelated":"0","imageSquareId":"22590"},"ext":{"id":"427","contentId":"52767","featured":"1","location":"","introduction":"How a performing arts organization rescued a culture and became the fastest-growing dance company in American history.","body":"<p><em>How a performing arts organization rescued a culture and became the fastest-growing dance company in American history<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>December 7, 2025<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Shen Yun Performing Arts, the world&rsquo;s premier classical Chinese dance and music company, is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a historic global tour.&nbsp;<\/p><p>This season, Shen Yun:<\/p><ul><li>Will have&nbsp;<strong>eight equally large troupes&nbsp;<\/strong>performing simultaneously<\/li><li>Across&nbsp;<strong>five continents<\/strong><\/li><li>Taking the stage in&nbsp;<strong>21 countries<\/strong><\/li><li>And&nbsp;<strong>170 cities<\/strong><\/li><li>In front of&nbsp;<strong>one million people&nbsp;<\/strong>worldwide<\/li><\/ul>\r\n\r\n<p>&ldquo;This milestone reflects the dedication of hundreds of artists,&rdquo; said Shen Yun Vice President and <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/artists\/view\/article\/e\/22xYytYCySo\/.html\">Conductor Ying Chen<\/a>. &ldquo;Our remarkable performers haven&rsquo;t just put on a world class show&mdash;they&rsquo;re carrying forward a cultural heritage and a set of values that they cherish deeply. They are among the best in the world, and their commitment is the reason we can celebrate twenty years today.&rdquo;<\/p><p>Established in New York&rsquo;s Hudson Valley in 2006, Shen Yun is marking two decades of extraordinary artistic achievement. Show after show, the company continues its mission to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, breathing life into a civilization that had been brought to the brink of extinction by communism.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>From humble beginnings as a group of volunteers, many of whom escaped persecution in China, Shen Yun quickly professionalized and grew from one to eight equally large touring troupes.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>Along with its hallmark classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun is home to the world&rsquo;s first orchestra to combine classical Western and Chinese instruments as permanent members. In what critics called an innovation in the world of performing arts, Shen Yun also patented interactive animated backdrops that extend the stage and instantly transport the audience to another world.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Shen Yun has become a must-see show, and the fastest-growing performing arts company in American history.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>&ldquo;Shen Yun lets the world see a China that the communist regime tried to destroy,&rdquo; said <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/artists\/view\/article\/e\/hBFlGVpHELU\/.html\">Principal Dancer Piotr Huang<\/a>. &ldquo;We began with a simple aspiration: to speak out about persecution and to share a culture that was nearly lost. Today, Shen Yun has become a cultural phenomenon that touches people from every walk of life.&rdquo;<\/p><p>&ldquo;As a dancer, Shen Yun has given me and my colleagues an environment to reach the peaks of our artistic potential,&rdquo; said Huang. &ldquo;If we were in China, we would face imprisonment. Here we have the opportunity to thrive.&rdquo;<\/p><p>It hasn&rsquo;t been easy. The organization&rsquo;s founders and performers were people who practiced Falun Dafa, the Buddhist-based spiritual meditation discipline brutally persecuted in China. They were driven by a sense of urgency&mdash;innocent people just like them being killed every day. As Western media largely turned a blind eye to the atrocities, these artists were willing to go the extra mile.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>They decided that not only would they celebrate the glory of ancient Chinese civilization, but also, as part of each performance, portray present reality in China and the courage of people of faith there.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Because of this daring portrayal, Shen Yun has incurred the wrath of the Chinese communist state. Through its embassies and consulates, networks of spies and secret agents, economic threats, and propaganda disinformation, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/challenges-we-face\">the regime came after Shen Yun in full force<\/a>. The performing arts company has endured slashed tires, break ins, and death threats&mdash;all on American soil. Meanwhile, performers&rsquo; family members in China have been harassed and even imprisoned.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>But through it all, Shen Yun has thrived, driven by faith and a sense of purpose. Now, after 20 years, Shen Yun is the world&rsquo;s gold standard for classical Chinese dance and has fully earned a reputation for artistic ingenuity, integrity, and resilience.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>Fun fact: The 20th anniversary is traditionally called &ldquo;the china anniversary.&rdquo;<\/em><\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><br \/><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>MEDIA CONTACT<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>For media inquiries, please write to: \r\ncontact@shenyunperformingarts.org.<\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>ABOUT SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Shen Yun is a nonprofit organization established in New York by elite Chinese artists, many of whom fled persecution. With the mission of reviving traditional Chinese culture, Shen Yun has become the world&rsquo;s foremost classical Chinese dance and music company, performing all-new programs globally every year.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>The 2026 production includes breathtaking new dances, never-before-seen stories, original scores, hundreds of dazzling costumes, and Shen Yun&rsquo;s patented animated backdrops. Learn more at: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/\">ShenYunPerformingArts.org<\/a>.<\/p>","tag":"","imageId":"22588","imageIdFeatured":"22588","videoLink":"","videoId":"0","contentRelated":"0","imageSquareId":{"fileId":"22590","fileName":"SY26-square.jpg","title":"SY26 Square","alt":"SY26 Square","timeCreated":"2025-12-12 16:41:15","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/12\/12\/cadc87ddebe5c65eba0316c443a289d7.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2025\/12\/12\/cadc87ddebe5c65eba0316c443a289d7.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2025\/12\/12\/cadc87ddebe5c65eba0316c443a289d7.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2025\/12\/12\/cadc87ddebe5c65eba0316c443a289d7.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2025\/12\/12\/cadc87ddebe5c65eba0316c443a289d7.jpg"},"imageDataDisplay":{"fileId":"22588","fileName":"SY2026-artwork-header-400x246ratio.jpg","title":"SY2026 Artwork Header 400x246ratio","alt":"SY2026 Artwork Header 400x246ratio","timeCreated":"2025-12-08 23:27:04","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg"},"imageFeatured":{"fileId":"22588","fileName":"SY2026-artwork-header-400x246ratio.jpg","title":"SY2026 Artwork Header 400x246ratio","alt":"SY2026 Artwork Header 400x246ratio","timeCreated":"2025-12-08 23:27:04","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg"}},"eId":"4fephBzr_Yw","eid":"4fephBzr_Yw","sectionEId":"Shwh9715MMc","contentTypeEId":"iSYtvU7zjYM","timeDisplay":"December 7, 2025","seoUrl":"_4fephBzr_Yw\/20-anniversary-world-tour.html","url":"\/news\/view\/article\/e\/4fephBzr_Yw\/20-anniversary-world-tour.html","contentTypeNameDisplay":"Press Release"},{"id":"52678","idText":"","urlFriendlyName":"artist-spotlight-michelle-lian","parentId":"0","userId":"36","sectionId":"25","contentTypeId":"6","langId":"1","timeCreated":"2025-11-16 10:28:33","timePublished":"2025-11-16 07:00:00","timePublishedDisplay":"0","timeUpdated":"2025-11-20 14:00:41","orderByTime":"2025-11-16 10:07:51","ip":"50.74.251.210","title":"Artist Spotlight: Michelle Lian","lastRevisionId":"0","protectMode":"1","password":"","passwordHint":"","commentNum":"0","ratingNum":"0","ratingAvg":"0","adminRefTime":null,"recommend":"0","sourceType":null,"commentEnable":"1","commentDisplay":"1","commentNeedApproval":"1","showOnWhatsnewAllPost":"1","status":"1","metaDescription":"Meet Shen Yun Principal Dancer Michelle Lian. In this interview, she shares her dance experiences, fun facts, and some words from the heart.","metaKeywords":"","metaTitle":"Artist Spotlight: Michelle Lian","userModified":"36","notes":"","contentTypeName":"news","totalCount":"2963","username":"vivians","userUpdated":"vivians","sectionName":"(English) News","extra":{"id":"24783","subtitle":"","location":"","contentId":"52678","importance":"3","isFeaturedNewsArticle":"1","isFeaturedNewsVideo":"0","isShortNews":"0","onCityPage":"0","introduction":"Principal Dancer Michelle Lian grew up watching Shen Yun in Taiwan. Her wish to become a Shen Yun dancer was so strong that her whole family moved to New York so she could study classical Chinese dance at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and later Fei Tian College. Starting in 2013, she fulfilled her childhood dream of taking the stage with Shen Yun and has been one of the company&rsquo;s bright stars ever since.","body":"<p>Principal Dancer Michelle Lian grew up watching Shen Yun in Taiwan. Her wish to become a Shen Yun dancer was so strong that her whole family moved to New York so she could study classical Chinese dance at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and later Fei Tian College. Starting in 2013, she fulfilled her childhood dream of taking the stage with Shen Yun and has been one of the company&rsquo;s bright stars ever since.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/><div><div class=\"wn__2col--wrapper\">\r\n                                    <figure style=\"--aspect-ratio:0.63;--aspect-ratio-mobile:0.63;\" class=\"wn__2col--left AspectRatio\">\r\n                                        <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/3e30c0a4a1617a0deacf755804b59a12.jpg\" \/>\r\n                                    <\/figure>\r\n                                    <div class=\"wn__2col--right\">\r\n                                        <div class=\"profile__wrapper\">\r\n                                            <h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">Michelle Lian<\/h2>\r\n                                            <div class=\"profile__info\">\r\n                                                <li><strong>Born in<\/strong> Taiwan<\/li>\r\n                                                <li><strong>Performing with Shen Yun since<\/strong> 2013<\/li>\r\n                                            <\/div>\r\n                                            <p>&ldquo;Let your art be gentle&mdash;soft enough to heal, honest enough to move the heart.<br \/><br \/>Let your spirit be brave&mdash;steady in storms, unafraid to get up and start again.<br \/><br \/>Never lose the spark within you, the childlike wonder, the smiles, and the deeper truths that anchor you with every step on stage.&rdquo;<\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n                                        <\/div>\r\n                                    <\/div> \r\n\r\n\r\n<\/div><div style=\"text-align:center;margin-top:3rem;font-size:1.4rem;font-family: Georgia\"><br \/><strong>15 Questions with Michelle<br \/><br \/><br \/><\/strong><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>How did you come to join Shen Yun, and what made you want to be a part of it?<\/strong><br \/>I was born in Taiwan. From as early as I can remember, my parents, who practiced the faith of Falun Dafa, worked tirelessly&mdash;day and night&mdash;to raise awareness about the persecution of people who practice Falun Dafa in China. Even though Taiwan is only about 100 miles from China, our political systems are very different. Falun Dafa is brutally persecuted in China, but in Taiwan it&rsquo;s practiced freely and very popular. As a little girl, I wanted to do something to help in my own way.\r\n<\/p><p>Then, when I was six years old, I saw Shen Yun for the first time, and something inside me clicked on. I thought, &ldquo;This is how I can do it. This is my way to speak out&mdash;through dance.&rdquo; From that day on, I began collecting coins in a small pouch. I wanted to save enough coins for my dream: to buy a plane ticket to the U.S. and audition for Fei Tian Academy of the Arts, where students have a chance to perform with Shen Yun.<\/p><p>One day, my father saw my pouch. Instead of just being amused, he surprised me completely&mdash;he decided to move our entire family to the United States so I could chase that dream. Seeing how much faith my parents had in me made me even more determined. From then on, joining Fei Tian and becoming part of Shen Yun wasn&rsquo;t just my dream&mdash;it became my way of honoring their love and carrying forward their mission.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- CENTER ALIGNED IMAGE -->\r\n<div>\r\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <img data-style=\"content-image-section-center\" class=\"sy-image\" src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/972a8c3bc82fbee8f38bdb3edd3a3ff5.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What do you like most about performing on stage?<\/strong><br \/>There&rsquo;s this moment when the lights come on and despite the orchestra playing, to me everything goes quiet. In that instant, you&rsquo;re no longer &ldquo;you&rdquo; &mdash; you become part of something bigger, just a pure expression of the kind and uplifting messages we want to share with the audience.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What is one unexpected joy of being on tour?<\/strong><br \/>Packing. I always manage to shove everything into my suitcase. It&rsquo;s a chore, but it&rsquo;s somehow oddly satisfying. <em>(Best packing tip?)<\/em> Use pouches and zipper bags for each category of clothing. Squish them into compact units to save space and keep your luggage looking decent. You never know when airport security wants to open your suitcase.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What&rsquo;s the difference between classical Chinese dance and other dance forms?<\/strong><br \/>Classical Chinese dance is unique in that it&rsquo;s not only a physical art form but also an embodiment of literally thousands of years of Chinese culture and philosophy. Every movement begins with the mind, spirit, and heart &mdash; before it turns into form. The dance technique, the form, serves to express deeper ideas. <\/p><p>So, to dance it well, you don&rsquo;t just train your body, you enrich your understanding of history, literature, aesthetics, and most importantly&mdash;virtue. You need strength and flexibility, for sure, but also humility, patience, and knowledge. I think that the balance of physical ability and inner cultivation is what makes classical Chinese dance uniquely profound.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n<div class=\"cf hidden-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/94d231f11cdc1fae024849f33f7a7156.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"contentImage--fullWidth\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n<div class=\"contentImage--fullWidth visible-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/b6d7a951171944f9a12d2812cd058251.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What do you do to center yourself before a show?<\/strong><br \/>Before a show, I have a double shot of espresso, stretch out my limbs, warm up my joints, and remind myself to let go&mdash;to detach from being hyper aware of myself, and become one with the performance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>How do you relax after a show?<\/strong><br \/>After a show, I love listening to podcasts, taking notes on new knowledge, or sharing a quiet moment with the people I care about.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What&rsquo;s your favorite hobby or pastime, and why?<\/strong><br \/>I love learning random facts about the world. These small surprises give my brain a little dopamine boost.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Do you have any tips for self-care to stay in top physical condition?<\/strong><br \/>Sleep and smiles. That&rsquo;s what I&rsquo;m also currently working on.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What is the most memorable character you&rsquo;ve played on stage?<\/strong><br \/>The young lady Yingtai from The <em><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/news\/view\/article\/e\/4QZHXYDZXV8\/a-butterfly-lovers-metamorphosis.html\">Butterfly Lovers<\/a><\/em>. That was one of the most thrilling and nerve-racking roles I&rsquo;ve ever done.  had to switch between being a girl and then a girl disguised as a guy, with two lightning-fast costume quick changes that were only about five seconds each. In those moments, there was no time to think, only action. One heartbeat you&rsquo;re Yingtai the disguised scholar, the next you&rsquo;re her true self again&mdash;all while the story keeps moving. If you miss a beat, the story is shot. It was all at once both terrifying and exhilarating.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n<div class=\"cf hidden-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/266e3c74976fe48b49c4833f6c9f0d33.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"contentImage--fullWidth\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n<div class=\"contentImage--fullWidth visible-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/266e3c74976fe48b49c4833f6c9f0d33.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n\r\n<p><strong>If you had a superpower, what would it be?<\/strong><br \/>It would be cognitive superpower. I&rsquo;d love to instantly understand anything&mdash;languages, emotions, even the reasons behind why people do what they do. I think it would make life endlessly fascinating and help me connect with others on a deeper level.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>If you could describe yourself with three words, what would they be?<\/strong><br \/>Emotional, empathetic, introverted.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What&rsquo;s your favorite city to visit on tour? <\/strong><br \/>Kyoto, still Kyoto even after being there so many times. The busy streets next to the calm of the Kamo River, the tentative stray cat sniffing for yakizakana grilled fish, and the warm light coming through wooden-framed windows&mdash;it&rsquo;s all a part of this charming, quaint city. And of course, everything there is so convenient.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Most memorable audience reaction?<\/strong><br \/>Once, when our MC announced it was time for intermission, a child exclaimed loudly, &ldquo;AWWW COME ON!!!&rdquo; The entire audience laughed, and so did we backstage.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What do you think is the highest level of dance or artistry?<\/strong><br \/>To me, the highest level of dance is when it becomes a form of healing. It&rsquo;s when you don&rsquo;t need to speak or even be near someone, yet your dance reaches them, calming, inspiring, or gently awakening something in their heart.<\/p><p>It&rsquo;s beyond technique, beyond perfect lines. It&rsquo;s when your body is the manifestation of something purer: truthfulness, compassion, forbearance. And for that moment, the audience feels it too. That silent connection is the highest form of artistry I can imagine.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n<div class=\"cf hidden-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/a156157cd75f67392de1d62057f29f41.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"contentImage--fullWidth\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n<div class=\"contentImage--fullWidth visible-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/a156157cd75f67392de1d62057f29f41.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n\r\n<p><strong>If you could sit down with your younger self, just starting out as an artist, what would you tell her?&nbsp;<\/strong><br \/>I would tell her: Be kind to yourself. Not by giving yourself excuses, but by allowing yourself to fail without self-loathing, allow yourself to rest without guilt, and to keep going for the pure artistic pursuit, not out of fear of falling behind.<\/p><p>And I would also tell her, very seriously: Train your core.<\/p><p>Yes, your actual physical core. Your abs, lower back, deep stabilizing muscles. Without core strength, your jumps lose height, your turns lose balance, and even your breath can&rsquo;t flow. Core training feels repetitive and unglamorous, but it silently supports everything, just like character does in life.<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><em>Shen Yun 2026 is coming together as we speak. Visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/tickets\" target=\"_blank\">ticketing page<\/a> for the upcoming tour, starting this December. <\/em><\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"text-align: center;color:#a2a2a2;font-family: Georgia; text-transform:uppercase;margin-bottom:10px;\">Featured Video<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: center;font-size:1.4rem;font-family: Georgia\"><strong>Meet Principal Dancer Michelle Lian<br \/><br \/><\/strong><\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<video height=\"315\" width=\"560\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"1\" poster=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/3d5ac5d089b2a3265e292f374567eacf.jpg\">\r\n\t<source src=\"https:\/\/media1.shenyun.com\/video\/2025\/Michelle_Lian_Trailer_Eng.mp4\"><\/source>\r\n<\/video>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><em><br \/>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyuncreations.com\/video\/_video_9fbfee9766fa41a69e6913aa0aa78b91\/Stars-of-Shen-Yun-Michelle-Lian\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here<\/strong><\/a> to watch the full video.<\/em><\/p>","contentRelated":"40161,43382,45748,46659,46178,45327,45214,45489","tag":"Artist Spotlight, Featured Artists","url":"","imageId":"22498","imageCaption":"","imageOnDetailPage":"1","imageTopHeader":"22579","imageGallery":"0","imageGalleryCaption":"","imageGalleryEnable":"1","imageGalleryPosition":"1","videoId":"0","imageIdForVideo":"0","videoLink":"","embeddedVideoGJW":"","videoTypeContentId":"0","artistsHeaderDisplayOrder":"500","cityPageOrder":"0","showOnMainSYPage":"1","enableCityId":"0","showOnCitypage":"0","showOnAllCityPage":"0","imageGalleryId":"0","imageSquareId":"22500","readDuration":""},"ext":{"id":"24783","subtitle":"","location":"","contentId":"52678","importance":"3","isFeaturedNewsArticle":"1","isFeaturedNewsVideo":"0","isShortNews":"0","onCityPage":"0","introduction":"Principal Dancer Michelle Lian grew up watching Shen Yun in Taiwan. Her wish to become a Shen Yun dancer was so strong that her whole family moved to New York so she could study classical Chinese dance at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and later Fei Tian College. Starting in 2013, she fulfilled her childhood dream of taking the stage with Shen Yun and has been one of the company&rsquo;s bright stars ever since.","body":"<p>Principal Dancer Michelle Lian grew up watching Shen Yun in Taiwan. Her wish to become a Shen Yun dancer was so strong that her whole family moved to New York so she could study classical Chinese dance at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and later Fei Tian College. Starting in 2013, she fulfilled her childhood dream of taking the stage with Shen Yun and has been one of the company&rsquo;s bright stars ever since.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/><div><div class=\"wn__2col--wrapper\">\r\n                                    <figure style=\"--aspect-ratio:0.63;--aspect-ratio-mobile:0.63;\" class=\"wn__2col--left AspectRatio\">\r\n                                        <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/3e30c0a4a1617a0deacf755804b59a12.jpg\" \/>\r\n                                    <\/figure>\r\n                                    <div class=\"wn__2col--right\">\r\n                                        <div class=\"profile__wrapper\">\r\n                                            <h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">Michelle Lian<\/h2>\r\n                                            <div class=\"profile__info\">\r\n                                                <li><strong>Born in<\/strong> Taiwan<\/li>\r\n                                                <li><strong>Performing with Shen Yun since<\/strong> 2013<\/li>\r\n                                            <\/div>\r\n                                            <p>&ldquo;Let your art be gentle&mdash;soft enough to heal, honest enough to move the heart.<br \/><br \/>Let your spirit be brave&mdash;steady in storms, unafraid to get up and start again.<br \/><br \/>Never lose the spark within you, the childlike wonder, the smiles, and the deeper truths that anchor you with every step on stage.&rdquo;<\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n                                        <\/div>\r\n                                    <\/div> \r\n\r\n\r\n<\/div><div style=\"text-align:center;margin-top:3rem;font-size:1.4rem;font-family: Georgia\"><br \/><strong>15 Questions with Michelle<br \/><br \/><br \/><\/strong><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>How did you come to join Shen Yun, and what made you want to be a part of it?<\/strong><br \/>I was born in Taiwan. From as early as I can remember, my parents, who practiced the faith of Falun Dafa, worked tirelessly&mdash;day and night&mdash;to raise awareness about the persecution of people who practice Falun Dafa in China. Even though Taiwan is only about 100 miles from China, our political systems are very different. Falun Dafa is brutally persecuted in China, but in Taiwan it&rsquo;s practiced freely and very popular. As a little girl, I wanted to do something to help in my own way.\r\n<\/p><p>Then, when I was six years old, I saw Shen Yun for the first time, and something inside me clicked on. I thought, &ldquo;This is how I can do it. This is my way to speak out&mdash;through dance.&rdquo; From that day on, I began collecting coins in a small pouch. I wanted to save enough coins for my dream: to buy a plane ticket to the U.S. and audition for Fei Tian Academy of the Arts, where students have a chance to perform with Shen Yun.<\/p><p>One day, my father saw my pouch. Instead of just being amused, he surprised me completely&mdash;he decided to move our entire family to the United States so I could chase that dream. Seeing how much faith my parents had in me made me even more determined. From then on, joining Fei Tian and becoming part of Shen Yun wasn&rsquo;t just my dream&mdash;it became my way of honoring their love and carrying forward their mission.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- CENTER ALIGNED IMAGE -->\r\n<div>\r\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <img data-style=\"content-image-section-center\" class=\"sy-image\" src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/972a8c3bc82fbee8f38bdb3edd3a3ff5.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What do you like most about performing on stage?<\/strong><br \/>There&rsquo;s this moment when the lights come on and despite the orchestra playing, to me everything goes quiet. In that instant, you&rsquo;re no longer &ldquo;you&rdquo; &mdash; you become part of something bigger, just a pure expression of the kind and uplifting messages we want to share with the audience.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What is one unexpected joy of being on tour?<\/strong><br \/>Packing. I always manage to shove everything into my suitcase. It&rsquo;s a chore, but it&rsquo;s somehow oddly satisfying. <em>(Best packing tip?)<\/em> Use pouches and zipper bags for each category of clothing. Squish them into compact units to save space and keep your luggage looking decent. You never know when airport security wants to open your suitcase.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What&rsquo;s the difference between classical Chinese dance and other dance forms?<\/strong><br \/>Classical Chinese dance is unique in that it&rsquo;s not only a physical art form but also an embodiment of literally thousands of years of Chinese culture and philosophy. Every movement begins with the mind, spirit, and heart &mdash; before it turns into form. The dance technique, the form, serves to express deeper ideas. <\/p><p>So, to dance it well, you don&rsquo;t just train your body, you enrich your understanding of history, literature, aesthetics, and most importantly&mdash;virtue. You need strength and flexibility, for sure, but also humility, patience, and knowledge. I think that the balance of physical ability and inner cultivation is what makes classical Chinese dance uniquely profound.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n<div class=\"cf hidden-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/94d231f11cdc1fae024849f33f7a7156.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"contentImage--fullWidth\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n<div class=\"contentImage--fullWidth visible-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/b6d7a951171944f9a12d2812cd058251.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What do you do to center yourself before a show?<\/strong><br \/>Before a show, I have a double shot of espresso, stretch out my limbs, warm up my joints, and remind myself to let go&mdash;to detach from being hyper aware of myself, and become one with the performance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>How do you relax after a show?<\/strong><br \/>After a show, I love listening to podcasts, taking notes on new knowledge, or sharing a quiet moment with the people I care about.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What&rsquo;s your favorite hobby or pastime, and why?<\/strong><br \/>I love learning random facts about the world. These small surprises give my brain a little dopamine boost.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Do you have any tips for self-care to stay in top physical condition?<\/strong><br \/>Sleep and smiles. That&rsquo;s what I&rsquo;m also currently working on.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What is the most memorable character you&rsquo;ve played on stage?<\/strong><br \/>The young lady Yingtai from The <em><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/news\/view\/article\/e\/4QZHXYDZXV8\/a-butterfly-lovers-metamorphosis.html\">Butterfly Lovers<\/a><\/em>. That was one of the most thrilling and nerve-racking roles I&rsquo;ve ever done.  had to switch between being a girl and then a girl disguised as a guy, with two lightning-fast costume quick changes that were only about five seconds each. In those moments, there was no time to think, only action. One heartbeat you&rsquo;re Yingtai the disguised scholar, the next you&rsquo;re her true self again&mdash;all while the story keeps moving. If you miss a beat, the story is shot. It was all at once both terrifying and exhilarating.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n<div class=\"cf hidden-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/266e3c74976fe48b49c4833f6c9f0d33.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"contentImage--fullWidth\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n<div class=\"contentImage--fullWidth visible-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/266e3c74976fe48b49c4833f6c9f0d33.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n\r\n<p><strong>If you had a superpower, what would it be?<\/strong><br \/>It would be cognitive superpower. I&rsquo;d love to instantly understand anything&mdash;languages, emotions, even the reasons behind why people do what they do. I think it would make life endlessly fascinating and help me connect with others on a deeper level.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>If you could describe yourself with three words, what would they be?<\/strong><br \/>Emotional, empathetic, introverted.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What&rsquo;s your favorite city to visit on tour? <\/strong><br \/>Kyoto, still Kyoto even after being there so many times. The busy streets next to the calm of the Kamo River, the tentative stray cat sniffing for yakizakana grilled fish, and the warm light coming through wooden-framed windows&mdash;it&rsquo;s all a part of this charming, quaint city. And of course, everything there is so convenient.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Most memorable audience reaction?<\/strong><br \/>Once, when our MC announced it was time for intermission, a child exclaimed loudly, &ldquo;AWWW COME ON!!!&rdquo; The entire audience laughed, and so did we backstage.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What do you think is the highest level of dance or artistry?<\/strong><br \/>To me, the highest level of dance is when it becomes a form of healing. It&rsquo;s when you don&rsquo;t need to speak or even be near someone, yet your dance reaches them, calming, inspiring, or gently awakening something in their heart.<\/p><p>It&rsquo;s beyond technique, beyond perfect lines. It&rsquo;s when your body is the manifestation of something purer: truthfulness, compassion, forbearance. And for that moment, the audience feels it too. That silent connection is the highest form of artistry I can imagine.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n<div class=\"cf hidden-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/a156157cd75f67392de1d62057f29f41.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"contentImage--fullWidth\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n<div class=\"contentImage--fullWidth visible-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/a156157cd75f67392de1d62057f29f41.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n\r\n<p><strong>If you could sit down with your younger self, just starting out as an artist, what would you tell her?&nbsp;<\/strong><br \/>I would tell her: Be kind to yourself. Not by giving yourself excuses, but by allowing yourself to fail without self-loathing, allow yourself to rest without guilt, and to keep going for the pure artistic pursuit, not out of fear of falling behind.<\/p><p>And I would also tell her, very seriously: Train your core.<\/p><p>Yes, your actual physical core. Your abs, lower back, deep stabilizing muscles. Without core strength, your jumps lose height, your turns lose balance, and even your breath can&rsquo;t flow. Core training feels repetitive and unglamorous, but it silently supports everything, just like character does in life.<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><em>Shen Yun 2026 is coming together as we speak. Visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/tickets\" target=\"_blank\">ticketing page<\/a> for the upcoming tour, starting this December. <\/em><\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"text-align: center;color:#a2a2a2;font-family: Georgia; text-transform:uppercase;margin-bottom:10px;\">Featured Video<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: center;font-size:1.4rem;font-family: Georgia\"><strong>Meet Principal Dancer Michelle Lian<br \/><br \/><\/strong><\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<video height=\"315\" width=\"560\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"1\" poster=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/3d5ac5d089b2a3265e292f374567eacf.jpg\">\r\n\t<source src=\"https:\/\/media1.shenyun.com\/video\/2025\/Michelle_Lian_Trailer_Eng.mp4\"><\/source>\r\n<\/video>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><em><br \/>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyuncreations.com\/video\/_video_9fbfee9766fa41a69e6913aa0aa78b91\/Stars-of-Shen-Yun-Michelle-Lian\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here<\/strong><\/a> to watch the full video.<\/em><\/p>","contentRelated":"40161,43382,45748,46659,46178,45327,45214,45489","tag":"Artist Spotlight, Featured Artists","url":"","imageId":"22498","imageCaption":"","imageOnDetailPage":"1","imageTopHeader":{"fileId":"22579","fileName":"MichelleLian-header-en-2000w-3.jpg","title":"MichelleLian Header En 2000w 3","alt":"MichelleLian Header En 2000w 3","timeCreated":"2025-11-16 15:36:22","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/599b61ce80e2d1ed26b62393d8c93c3c.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2025\/11\/16\/599b61ce80e2d1ed26b62393d8c93c3c.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2025\/11\/16\/599b61ce80e2d1ed26b62393d8c93c3c.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2025\/11\/16\/599b61ce80e2d1ed26b62393d8c93c3c.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2025\/11\/16\/599b61ce80e2d1ed26b62393d8c93c3c.jpg"},"imageGallery":"0","imageGalleryCaption":"","imageGalleryEnable":"1","imageGalleryPosition":"1","videoId":"0","imageIdForVideo":"0","videoLink":"","embeddedVideoGJW":"","videoTypeContentId":"0","artistsHeaderDisplayOrder":"500","cityPageOrder":"0","showOnMainSYPage":"1","enableCityId":"0","showOnCitypage":"0","showOnAllCityPage":"0","imageGalleryId":"0","imageSquareId":{"fileId":"22500","fileName":"MichelleLian-square-800w.jpg","title":"MichelleLian Square 800w","alt":"MichelleLian Square 800w","timeCreated":"2025-11-16 10:44:47","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/476026eb231804b231870aebfba4f13f.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2025\/11\/16\/476026eb231804b231870aebfba4f13f.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2025\/11\/16\/476026eb231804b231870aebfba4f13f.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2025\/11\/16\/476026eb231804b231870aebfba4f13f.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2025\/11\/16\/476026eb231804b231870aebfba4f13f.jpg"},"readDuration":"","imageDataDisplay":{"fileId":"22498","fileName":"MichelleLian-header-en-thumb-650w.jpg","title":"MichelleLian Header En Thumb 650w","alt":"MichelleLian Header En Thumb 650w","timeCreated":"2025-11-16 10:38:40","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/11\/16\/f23bbde4a364522ebe72204971af9e4d.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2025\/11\/16\/f23bbde4a364522ebe72204971af9e4d.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2025\/11\/16\/f23bbde4a364522ebe72204971af9e4d.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2025\/11\/16\/f23bbde4a364522ebe72204971af9e4d.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2025\/11\/16\/f23bbde4a364522ebe72204971af9e4d.jpg"}},"eId":"fQQZLPr8puQ","eid":"fQQZLPr8puQ","sectionEId":"U2m7QmLY8Tg","contentTypeEId":"JUM-7TqtxSU","timeDisplay":"November 16, 2025","seoUrl":"_fQQZLPr8puQ\/artist-spotlight-michelle-lian.html","url":"\/news\/view\/article\/e\/fQQZLPr8puQ\/artist-spotlight-michelle-lian.html","contentTypeNameDisplay":"News"},{"id":"52594","idText":"","urlFriendlyName":"moon-festival-mid-autumn-festival","parentId":"0","userId":"44","sectionId":"25","contentTypeId":"6","langId":"1","timeCreated":"2025-10-04 12:28:42","timePublished":"2025-10-04 12:20:38","timePublishedDisplay":"0","timeUpdated":"2025-10-06 10:37:03","orderByTime":"2025-10-04 12:20:38","ip":"72.43.130.26","title":"When the Moon is Brightest: Shen Yun Celebrates Mid-Autumn","lastRevisionId":"0","protectMode":"1","password":"","passwordHint":"","commentNum":"0","ratingNum":"0","ratingAvg":"0","adminRefTime":null,"recommend":"0","sourceType":null,"commentEnable":"1","commentDisplay":"1","commentNeedApproval":"1","showOnWhatsnewAllPost":"1","status":"1","metaDescription":"An inside look into how Shen Yun celebrates one of the world\u2019s biggest holidays - a time of reunion, whimsicality, and moon cakes.","metaKeywords":"","metaTitle":"Shen Yun Celebrates Mid-Autumn Moon Festival","userModified":"46","notes":"","contentTypeName":"news","totalCount":"6438","username":"leeshail","userUpdated":"jingx","sectionName":"(English) News","extra":{"id":"24763","subtitle":"One of the world\u2019s biggest holidays is a time of reunion, whimsicality, and cakes","location":"","contentId":"52594","importance":"3","isFeaturedNewsArticle":"1","isFeaturedNewsVideo":"1","isShortNews":"0","onCityPage":"0","introduction":"An inside look at a day unlike no other.","body":"<p>Once a year, in the middle of fall, our entire Shen Yun community puts a full stop on rehearsals and indulges in a day of food and fun. We join the nearly two billion people in East Asia and around the world in celebrating a traditional holiday that's been around for centuries: the Moon Festival.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>According to Chinese tradition, the moon is roundest and brightest in the middle of fall&mdash;to be exact, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar. This year, the Harvest Moon falls on October 6. And at our Shen Yun headquarters in Dragon Springs, New York, it is a day like no other.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- CENTER ALIGNED IMAGE -->\r\n<div>\r\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <img data-caption=\"Preparing choreography for Mid-Autumn celebration performances, guessing riddles, making mooncakes and students' game shows, amongst many other festivities.\" data-style=\"content-image-section-center\" class=\"sy-image\" src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/10\/05\/16a60161dde5bc7860b6e6d6ee27c5fd.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>The day begins without<\/strong> the usual structured schedule. Whether you are a professional Shen Yun dancer, musician, or production member, whether you are a student at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts or Fei Tian College, an administrator, costume designer, or web writer, you might spend the morning sauntering through the Buddhist-style temple grounds or enjoy the changing leaves on the opposite hill. Or, you might be putting the finishing touches on a comical costume for that evening&rsquo;s performance&hellip;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>In the late afternoon<\/strong>, the entire Dragon Springs community gathers for a gargantuan feast. This is when the Mid-Autumn Festival most resembles an Asian Thanksgiving. It is a time of kinship and familial reunion.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>For many Shen Yun performers, Dragon Springs is not just a home away from home. <\/p><p>\"My fellow dancers, they're like my sisters and best friends rolled into one,\" says Shen Yun dancer Shindy Cai. \"In the laughter, support, and quiet kindness of my friends, I discovered a second family.\"<\/p><p><em>&ldquo;As the bright moon rises over the sea, \r\n<br \/>At the ends of the earth people share this moment&rdquo;<\/em>\r\n<br \/>- Seventh century Tang Dynasty poet Zhang Jiuling<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>It is no exaggeration to say that for many in our community, Shen Yun is their new family. We conducted a survey and found that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/news\/view\/article\/e\/j-IUU9Fsv8Y\/7-20-when-persecution-hits-home\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>a staggering 92 of our artists<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>had been directly impacted by persecution in China. They lost fathers to torture, seen their mothers taken away and imprisoned for years, or fled China themselves as children. None of them can go back to China to see their family.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<div style=\"text-align: center;font-size:1.4rem;font-family: Georgia\"><strong>From All of Us at Shen Yun<br \/><br \/><\/strong><\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<video poster=\"\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/10\/04\/7b2660ee82b81ee11f6fd5017297c7ca.jpg\" controls=\"1\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\">\r\n\t<source src=\"https:\/\/media1.shenyun.com\/video\/2025\/MoonFestival\/Moon_Festival_Horizontal_Clean.mp4\"><\/source>\r\n<\/video>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<br \/>\r\n<p><em>&ldquo;Alone in a foreign land, a foreigner am I,\r\n<br \/>Every festive day, thoughts of my kindred double&rdquo;<\/em>\r\n<br \/>-Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>But if you caught a glimpse of them at our dining hall, you wouldn&rsquo;t be able to tell any of this. You would see them at a round table with their best friends, passing endless dishes around, barely hearing themselves over the jubilant clamor around them.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p><strong>Evening is the highlight<\/strong>. It starts with a post-dinner show put on entirely by Shen Yun performers and Fei Tian students.<\/p><p><strong>The first performance<\/strong> <span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">is the most anticipated&mdash;the Classical Chinese Dance Technique Showcase. Imagine a roster of All Stars in any sport, each performing their signature move&mdash;a slam dunk, a home run swing, a goalie&rsquo;s save&mdash;in a fast-paced highlight reel. Now translate that to dance and that&rsquo;s what you get. Or you could just <strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyuncreations.com\/video\/_video_ffca81369e01459e9359330ddbf03e36\/Shen-Yun-Mid-Autumn-Festival-Technique-Showcase--October-17-2024\">watch the video<\/a><\/strong> from last year&rsquo;s and see.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>After that,&nbsp;<strong>what follows<\/strong> is whimsical fun. Dancers try their hands in choreography. Musicians try their feet in dance. Stage managers sing, and a singer dresses as an astronaut. Our Moon Festival show has seen dances with dinosaurs, bunnies, and talking moon cakes. It is creative. It is ridiculous. It is cathartic.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"text-align: center;font-size:1.4rem;font-family: Georgia\"><strong>Mid-Autumn Celebration Behind the Scenes<br \/><br \/><\/strong><\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<video poster=\"\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/10\/05\/5aa6584299748debdefd752a99e94e4e.jpg\" controls=\"1\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\">\r\n\t<source src=\"https:\/\/media1.shenyun.com\/video\/2025\/MoonFestival\/MidAutumnBTS_20231008_SYC.mp4\"><\/source>\r\n<\/video>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<br \/><p><strong>As night falls<\/strong>, the performance comes to a close and everyone walks out to an open pavilion. There, eight tables will have been laid out with literally thousands and thousands of moon cakes. Almond moon cakes. Red bean moon cakes. Taro moon cakes. Egg yolk moon cakes (yup, it&rsquo;s like a hardboiled yolk inside a gooey cookie&mdash;a delicacy for Chinese and a taste acquired, or not, for others).\r\n\r\n<\/p><p>Some grab cakes and drift toward a cluster of lit lanterns, each with riddles hanging beneath them and prizes for the solvers. Others chat with their family or friends, mixing in an occasional look up at the sky.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The moon is brightest on this night of the year, and when the heavens are clear above the hills, gazing at it seems to connect time and space.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><em>&ldquo;Today&rsquo;s people cannot see the moon of days past,\r\n<br \/>But today&rsquo;s moon once shined upon the ancients&rdquo;<\/em>\r\n<br \/>- Tang Dynasty&rsquo;s &ldquo;immortal poet&rdquo; Li Bai<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>And so, as we look up at the full moon, we both long for loved ones and cherish our family and community with us right here right now. There&rsquo;s just something about the moon that makes you think about today, the past, and the future.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>And about the next moon cake&hellip;<\/p>","contentRelated":"46031,23196,20540,24873,24546","tag":"","url":"","imageId":"22489","imageCaption":"","imageOnDetailPage":"1","imageTopHeader":"22489","imageGallery":"0","imageGalleryCaption":"","imageGalleryEnable":"1","imageGalleryPosition":"1","videoId":"0","imageIdForVideo":"0","videoLink":"","embeddedVideoGJW":"","videoTypeContentId":"0","artistsHeaderDisplayOrder":"0","cityPageOrder":"0","showOnMainSYPage":"1","enableCityId":"0","showOnCitypage":"0","showOnAllCityPage":"0","imageGalleryId":"0","imageSquareId":"22493","readDuration":""},"ext":{"id":"24763","subtitle":"One of the world\u2019s biggest holidays is a time of reunion, whimsicality, and cakes","location":"","contentId":"52594","importance":"3","isFeaturedNewsArticle":"1","isFeaturedNewsVideo":"1","isShortNews":"0","onCityPage":"0","introduction":"An inside look at a day unlike no other.","body":"<p>Once a year, in the middle of fall, our entire Shen Yun community puts a full stop on rehearsals and indulges in a day of food and fun. We join the nearly two billion people in East Asia and around the world in celebrating a traditional holiday that's been around for centuries: the Moon Festival.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>According to Chinese tradition, the moon is roundest and brightest in the middle of fall&mdash;to be exact, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar. This year, the Harvest Moon falls on October 6. And at our Shen Yun headquarters in Dragon Springs, New York, it is a day like no other.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- CENTER ALIGNED IMAGE -->\r\n<div>\r\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <img data-caption=\"Preparing choreography for Mid-Autumn celebration performances, guessing riddles, making mooncakes and students' game shows, amongst many other festivities.\" data-style=\"content-image-section-center\" class=\"sy-image\" src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/10\/05\/16a60161dde5bc7860b6e6d6ee27c5fd.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>The day begins without<\/strong> the usual structured schedule. Whether you are a professional Shen Yun dancer, musician, or production member, whether you are a student at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts or Fei Tian College, an administrator, costume designer, or web writer, you might spend the morning sauntering through the Buddhist-style temple grounds or enjoy the changing leaves on the opposite hill. Or, you might be putting the finishing touches on a comical costume for that evening&rsquo;s performance&hellip;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>In the late afternoon<\/strong>, the entire Dragon Springs community gathers for a gargantuan feast. This is when the Mid-Autumn Festival most resembles an Asian Thanksgiving. It is a time of kinship and familial reunion.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>For many Shen Yun performers, Dragon Springs is not just a home away from home. <\/p><p>\"My fellow dancers, they're like my sisters and best friends rolled into one,\" says Shen Yun dancer Shindy Cai. \"In the laughter, support, and quiet kindness of my friends, I discovered a second family.\"<\/p><p><em>&ldquo;As the bright moon rises over the sea, \r\n<br \/>At the ends of the earth people share this moment&rdquo;<\/em>\r\n<br \/>- Seventh century Tang Dynasty poet Zhang Jiuling<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>It is no exaggeration to say that for many in our community, Shen Yun is their new family. We conducted a survey and found that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/news\/view\/article\/e\/j-IUU9Fsv8Y\/7-20-when-persecution-hits-home\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>a staggering 92 of our artists<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>had been directly impacted by persecution in China. They lost fathers to torture, seen their mothers taken away and imprisoned for years, or fled China themselves as children. None of them can go back to China to see their family.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<div style=\"text-align: center;font-size:1.4rem;font-family: Georgia\"><strong>From All of Us at Shen Yun<br \/><br \/><\/strong><\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<video poster=\"\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/10\/04\/7b2660ee82b81ee11f6fd5017297c7ca.jpg\" controls=\"1\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\">\r\n\t<source src=\"https:\/\/media1.shenyun.com\/video\/2025\/MoonFestival\/Moon_Festival_Horizontal_Clean.mp4\"><\/source>\r\n<\/video>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<br \/>\r\n<p><em>&ldquo;Alone in a foreign land, a foreigner am I,\r\n<br \/>Every festive day, thoughts of my kindred double&rdquo;<\/em>\r\n<br \/>-Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>But if you caught a glimpse of them at our dining hall, you wouldn&rsquo;t be able to tell any of this. You would see them at a round table with their best friends, passing endless dishes around, barely hearing themselves over the jubilant clamor around them.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p><strong>Evening is the highlight<\/strong>. It starts with a post-dinner show put on entirely by Shen Yun performers and Fei Tian students.<\/p><p><strong>The first performance<\/strong> <span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">is the most anticipated&mdash;the Classical Chinese Dance Technique Showcase. Imagine a roster of All Stars in any sport, each performing their signature move&mdash;a slam dunk, a home run swing, a goalie&rsquo;s save&mdash;in a fast-paced highlight reel. Now translate that to dance and that&rsquo;s what you get. Or you could just <strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyuncreations.com\/video\/_video_ffca81369e01459e9359330ddbf03e36\/Shen-Yun-Mid-Autumn-Festival-Technique-Showcase--October-17-2024\">watch the video<\/a><\/strong> from last year&rsquo;s and see.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>After that,&nbsp;<strong>what follows<\/strong> is whimsical fun. Dancers try their hands in choreography. Musicians try their feet in dance. Stage managers sing, and a singer dresses as an astronaut. Our Moon Festival show has seen dances with dinosaurs, bunnies, and talking moon cakes. It is creative. It is ridiculous. It is cathartic.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"text-align: center;font-size:1.4rem;font-family: Georgia\"><strong>Mid-Autumn Celebration Behind the Scenes<br \/><br \/><\/strong><\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<video poster=\"\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/10\/05\/5aa6584299748debdefd752a99e94e4e.jpg\" controls=\"1\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\">\r\n\t<source src=\"https:\/\/media1.shenyun.com\/video\/2025\/MoonFestival\/MidAutumnBTS_20231008_SYC.mp4\"><\/source>\r\n<\/video>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<br \/><p><strong>As night falls<\/strong>, the performance comes to a close and everyone walks out to an open pavilion. There, eight tables will have been laid out with literally thousands and thousands of moon cakes. Almond moon cakes. Red bean moon cakes. Taro moon cakes. Egg yolk moon cakes (yup, it&rsquo;s like a hardboiled yolk inside a gooey cookie&mdash;a delicacy for Chinese and a taste acquired, or not, for others).\r\n\r\n<\/p><p>Some grab cakes and drift toward a cluster of lit lanterns, each with riddles hanging beneath them and prizes for the solvers. Others chat with their family or friends, mixing in an occasional look up at the sky.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The moon is brightest on this night of the year, and when the heavens are clear above the hills, gazing at it seems to connect time and space.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><em>&ldquo;Today&rsquo;s people cannot see the moon of days past,\r\n<br \/>But today&rsquo;s moon once shined upon the ancients&rdquo;<\/em>\r\n<br \/>- Tang Dynasty&rsquo;s &ldquo;immortal poet&rdquo; Li Bai<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>And so, as we look up at the full moon, we both long for loved ones and cherish our family and community with us right here right now. There&rsquo;s just something about the moon that makes you think about today, the past, and the future.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>And about the next moon cake&hellip;<\/p>","contentRelated":"46031,23196,20540,24873,24546","tag":"","url":"","imageId":"22489","imageCaption":"","imageOnDetailPage":"1","imageTopHeader":{"fileId":"22489","fileName":"moon-festival-painting.jpg","title":"Moon Festival Painting","alt":"Moon Festival Painting","timeCreated":"2025-10-04 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2025","seoUrl":"_xm6v8viIufU\/moon-festival-mid-autumn-festival.html","url":"\/news\/view\/article\/e\/xm6v8viIufU\/moon-festival-mid-autumn-festival.html","contentTypeNameDisplay":"News"},{"id":"52463","idText":"","urlFriendlyName":"parade-persecution-falun-gong-july-20-nyc-chinatown","parentId":"0","userId":"44","sectionId":"25","contentTypeId":"6","langId":"1","timeCreated":"2025-08-10 12:52:13","timePublished":"2025-07-22 12:41:46","timePublishedDisplay":"0","timeUpdated":"2025-08-13 13:52:03","orderByTime":"2025-08-10 12:41:46","ip":"72.43.130.26","title":"Shen Yun Artists Participate in Parade to Stop Persecution","lastRevisionId":"0","protectMode":"1","password":"","passwordHint":"","commentNum":"0","ratingNum":"0","ratingAvg":"0","adminRefTime":null,"recommend":"0","sourceType":null,"commentEnable":"1","commentDisplay":"1","commentNeedApproval":"1","showOnWhatsnewAllPost":"1","status":"1","metaDescription":"For the first time, performers participated in an event marking the anniversary of the persecution of Falun Gong in China.","metaKeywords":"","metaTitle":"Shen Yun Participates in Parade to Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong","userModified":"36","notes":"","contentTypeName":"news","totalCount":"7938","username":"leeshail","userUpdated":"vivians","sectionName":"(English) News","extra":{"id":"24749","subtitle":"","location":"","contentId":"52463","importance":"3","isFeaturedNewsArticle":"1","isFeaturedNewsVideo":"1","isShortNews":"0","onCityPage":"0","introduction":"For the first time, performers participated in an event marking the anniversary of the persecution of Falun Gong in China.","body":"<p>On July 20, 2025, Shen Yun performers joined thousands of participants in a New York City parade marking 26 years since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>This was the first time we participated in such an event, as hundreds of Shen Yun artists marched solemnly in simple, yet elegant attire&mdash;with shirts with black pants or skirts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The parade in Chinatown, one of the oldest Chinese communities in the United States, was a very different kind of public appearance for Shen Yun. In a Shen Yun performance, the curtain opens to reveal celestial scenes, imperial courtyards, and heroic epics, and it&rsquo;s easy to lose yourself in the magnificence of what China once was.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>But the realities of today&rsquo;s China prompted the need for Shen Yun&rsquo;s existence.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>After fleeing brutal repression in China and witnessing the tragic erosion of a once-great civilization, our founders came together in New York&rsquo;s Hudson Valley in 2006. Their mission was twofold: to revive traditional Chinese culture and to expose an ongoing human rights crisis.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>These artists practice Falun Gong, a meditation discipline rooted in Buddhist tradition. Falun Gong was once extremely popular in China, with an estimated 70-100 million people practicing it in the late 90s. But on July 20, 1999, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a brutal campaign to eliminate the practice (<a href=\"https:\/\/faluninfo.net\/why-is-falun-gong-is-persecuted-in-china\/ \">read about why<\/a>). This persecution continues today.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>For many of us in Shen Yun, this date is not just a historical milestone. It carries the added weight of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/news\/view\/article\/e\/j-IUU9Fsv8Y\/7-20-when-persecution-hits-home.html\">our own families&rsquo; tragedies<\/a>. Nearly one hundred of Shen Yun&rsquo;s current members have been directly impacted by this persecution (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/videos\/featured\/play\/enezBmmXYe8\/why-we-perform.html\">video<\/a>).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- RIGHT ALIGNED SMALL IMAGE -->\r\n<div>\r\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/08\/11\/c5bb37ccd660045a83ee860888899102.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"content-image-section-right-small\" data-caption=\"Shen Yun dancer Hungwei Sun joins Falun Gong practitioners in a New York City parade calling for an end to the 26-year persecution of Falun Gong in China. (Benny Zhang\/The Epoch Times)\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p>Among those walking in the parade was Hungwei Sun, a Shen Yun principal dancer who was six years old when Chinese police raided his family&rsquo;s home and arrested his mother for her belief in Falun Gong. Sun&rsquo;s mother was later sentenced to seven years in prison, leaving his father to care for him and his brother alone. After she was released from prison, police continued to harass the family, trying to force Sun&rsquo;s mother to sign a statement renouncing her faith. We remembered the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyuncommunity.org\/july-20\">countless stories<\/a> like Sun&rsquo;s as we walked in the parade.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>In Chinatown, Shen Yun artists marched alongside other Falun Gong practitioners who held banners reading, &ldquo;Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong in China,&rdquo; or &ldquo;End 26 Years of Persecution.&rdquo; Other parade participants handed out flyers with information about the persecution or lotus flowers as a symbol of maintaining purity and hope amidst turbulent times.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Over the years, the reaction in the Chinese community to this annual commemoration has been mixed. Those who have bought into the regime&rsquo;s propaganda about Falun Gong have harassed or <a href=\"https:\/\/faluninfo.net\/falun-gong-practitioners-assaulted-during-brooklyn-parade-september-14-2024-2\/\">even assaulted<\/a> practitioners walking in such parades. However, more and more people in the Chinese diaspora have become supportive of Falun Gong after learning about the true nature of the spiritual practice and the persecution believers face in China.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>A man watching the parade and who saw Falun Gong&rsquo;s popularity in China before the persecution, told <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/hundreds-of-shen-yun-artists-march-in-new-york-warn-of-ccps-repression-in-america-5890032\">The Epoch Times<\/a><\/em>, &ldquo;Look, after 26 years, there are more and more practitioners, and more young practitioners. People know what Falun Gong is about, no matter how much the CCP tries to slander them.&rdquo;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>As we prepare for our upcoming tour, this parade in New York City serves as a reminder of those in China who still face persecution and of our mission to revive the beauty of China before the horrors of communism.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>Many watch Shen Yun for the artistry&ndash;&ndash;the choreography, the music, the costumes&mdash;and our entire artistic team works hard to make it world-class. But after seeing a performance, many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/videos\/reviews\">audience members<\/a> also speak of having a clearer sense of why Shen Yun exists.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>With each performance, we strive to preserve a culture nearly lost and give voice to those silenced. Just like the message of hope in the parade, it&rsquo;s a vision for a future where the best of China&rsquo;s past can live on&ndash;&ndash;openly, and without fear.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<video height=\"315\" width=\"560\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"1\" poster=\"\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/08\/11\/90512ca94676e7698792c6e9d680d3af.jpg\">\r\n\t<source src=\"https:\/\/media1.shenyun.com\/video\/2025\/720-parade-EN-Final.mp4\"><\/source>\r\n<\/video>\r\n<\/div><p>&nbsp;<\/p>","contentRelated":"0","tag":"","url":"","imageId":"22427","imageCaption":"Shen Yun Performing Arts performers join a parade to call for the end of the Chinese Communist Party\u2019s 26 years of ongoing persecution against Falun Gong, in New York City on July 20, 2025. (Benny Zhang\/The Epoch Times)","imageOnDetailPage":"1","imageTopHeader":"22426","imageGallery":"22430,22431,22432,22433,22434","imageGalleryCaption":"","imageGalleryEnable":"1","imageGalleryPosition":"1","videoId":"0","imageIdForVideo":"0","videoLink":"","embeddedVideoGJW":"","videoTypeContentId":"0","artistsHeaderDisplayOrder":"0","cityPageOrder":"0","showOnMainSYPage":"1","enableCityId":"0","showOnCitypage":"0","showOnAllCityPage":"0","imageGalleryId":"0","imageSquareId":"22428","readDuration":""},"ext":{"id":"24749","subtitle":"","location":"","contentId":"52463","importance":"3","isFeaturedNewsArticle":"1","isFeaturedNewsVideo":"1","isShortNews":"0","onCityPage":"0","introduction":"For the first time, performers participated in an event marking the anniversary of the persecution of Falun Gong in China.","body":"<p>On July 20, 2025, Shen Yun performers joined thousands of participants in a New York City parade marking 26 years since the persecution of Falun Gong in China began.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>This was the first time we participated in such an event, as hundreds of Shen Yun artists marched solemnly in simple, yet elegant attire&mdash;with shirts with black pants or skirts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The parade in Chinatown, one of the oldest Chinese communities in the United States, was a very different kind of public appearance for Shen Yun. In a Shen Yun performance, the curtain opens to reveal celestial scenes, imperial courtyards, and heroic epics, and it&rsquo;s easy to lose yourself in the magnificence of what China once was.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>But the realities of today&rsquo;s China prompted the need for Shen Yun&rsquo;s existence.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>After fleeing brutal repression in China and witnessing the tragic erosion of a once-great civilization, our founders came together in New York&rsquo;s Hudson Valley in 2006. Their mission was twofold: to revive traditional Chinese culture and to expose an ongoing human rights crisis.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>These artists practice Falun Gong, a meditation discipline rooted in Buddhist tradition. Falun Gong was once extremely popular in China, with an estimated 70-100 million people practicing it in the late 90s. But on July 20, 1999, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a brutal campaign to eliminate the practice (<a href=\"https:\/\/faluninfo.net\/why-is-falun-gong-is-persecuted-in-china\/ \">read about why<\/a>). This persecution continues today.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>For many of us in Shen Yun, this date is not just a historical milestone. It carries the added weight of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/news\/view\/article\/e\/j-IUU9Fsv8Y\/7-20-when-persecution-hits-home.html\">our own families&rsquo; tragedies<\/a>. Nearly one hundred of Shen Yun&rsquo;s current members have been directly impacted by this persecution (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/videos\/featured\/play\/enezBmmXYe8\/why-we-perform.html\">video<\/a>).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- RIGHT ALIGNED SMALL IMAGE -->\r\n<div>\r\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/08\/11\/c5bb37ccd660045a83ee860888899102.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"content-image-section-right-small\" data-caption=\"Shen Yun dancer Hungwei Sun joins Falun Gong practitioners in a New York City parade calling for an end to the 26-year persecution of Falun Gong in China. (Benny Zhang\/The Epoch Times)\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p>Among those walking in the parade was Hungwei Sun, a Shen Yun principal dancer who was six years old when Chinese police raided his family&rsquo;s home and arrested his mother for her belief in Falun Gong. Sun&rsquo;s mother was later sentenced to seven years in prison, leaving his father to care for him and his brother alone. After she was released from prison, police continued to harass the family, trying to force Sun&rsquo;s mother to sign a statement renouncing her faith. We remembered the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyuncommunity.org\/july-20\">countless stories<\/a> like Sun&rsquo;s as we walked in the parade.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>In Chinatown, Shen Yun artists marched alongside other Falun Gong practitioners who held banners reading, &ldquo;Stop the Persecution of Falun Gong in China,&rdquo; or &ldquo;End 26 Years of Persecution.&rdquo; Other parade participants handed out flyers with information about the persecution or lotus flowers as a symbol of maintaining purity and hope amidst turbulent times.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Over the years, the reaction in the Chinese community to this annual commemoration has been mixed. Those who have bought into the regime&rsquo;s propaganda about Falun Gong have harassed or <a href=\"https:\/\/faluninfo.net\/falun-gong-practitioners-assaulted-during-brooklyn-parade-september-14-2024-2\/\">even assaulted<\/a> practitioners walking in such parades. However, more and more people in the Chinese diaspora have become supportive of Falun Gong after learning about the true nature of the spiritual practice and the persecution believers face in China.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>A man watching the parade and who saw Falun Gong&rsquo;s popularity in China before the persecution, told <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/hundreds-of-shen-yun-artists-march-in-new-york-warn-of-ccps-repression-in-america-5890032\">The Epoch Times<\/a><\/em>, &ldquo;Look, after 26 years, there are more and more practitioners, and more young practitioners. People know what Falun Gong is about, no matter how much the CCP tries to slander them.&rdquo;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>As we prepare for our upcoming tour, this parade in New York City serves as a reminder of those in China who still face persecution and of our mission to revive the beauty of China before the horrors of communism.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>Many watch Shen Yun for the artistry&ndash;&ndash;the choreography, the music, the costumes&mdash;and our entire artistic team works hard to make it world-class. But after seeing a performance, many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/videos\/reviews\">audience members<\/a> also speak of having a clearer sense of why Shen Yun exists.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>With each performance, we strive to preserve a culture nearly lost and give voice to those silenced. Just like the message of hope in the parade, it&rsquo;s a vision for a future where the best of China&rsquo;s past can live on&ndash;&ndash;openly, and without fear.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<video height=\"315\" width=\"560\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"1\" poster=\"\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/08\/11\/90512ca94676e7698792c6e9d680d3af.jpg\">\r\n\t<source src=\"https:\/\/media1.shenyun.com\/video\/2025\/720-parade-EN-Final.mp4\"><\/source>\r\n<\/video>\r\n<\/div><p>&nbsp;<\/p>","contentRelated":"0","tag":"","url":"","imageId":"22427","imageCaption":"Shen Yun Performing Arts performers join a parade to call for the end of the Chinese Communist Party\u2019s 26 years of ongoing persecution against Falun Gong, in New York City on July 20, 2025. (Benny Zhang\/The Epoch Times)","imageOnDetailPage":"1","imageTopHeader":{"fileId":"22426","fileName":"HEAD_EpochImages-5412113111-SYJoinsDafaParade.jpg","title":"HEAD EpochImages 5412113111 SYJoinsDafaParade","alt":"HEAD EpochImages 5412113111 SYJoinsDafaParade","timeCreated":"2025-08-11 15:29:27","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/08\/11\/a6eebd6e1eacc99527ab6b85235e8500.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2025\/08\/11\/a6eebd6e1eacc99527ab6b85235e8500.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2025\/08\/11\/a6eebd6e1eacc99527ab6b85235e8500.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2025\/08\/11\/a6eebd6e1eacc99527ab6b85235e8500.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2025\/08\/11\/a6eebd6e1eacc99527ab6b85235e8500.jpg"},"imageGallery":"22430,22431,22432,22433,22434","imageGalleryCaption":"","imageGalleryEnable":"1","imageGalleryPosition":"1","videoId":"0","imageIdForVideo":"0","videoLink":"","embeddedVideoGJW":"","videoTypeContentId":"0","artistsHeaderDisplayOrder":"0","cityPageOrder":"0","showOnMainSYPage":"1","enableCityId":"0","showOnCitypage":"0","showOnAllCityPage":"0","imageGalleryId":"0","imageSquareId":{"fileId":"22428","fileName":"Square_EpochImages-5412113111-SYJoinsDafaParade.jpg","title":"Square EpochImages 5412113111 SYJoinsDafaParade","alt":"Square EpochImages 5412113111 SYJoinsDafaParade","timeCreated":"2025-08-11 15:31:40","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/08\/11\/9f8a07606c788bbd332cd54a63a3c628.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2025\/08\/11\/9f8a07606c788bbd332cd54a63a3c628.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2025\/08\/11\/9f8a07606c788bbd332cd54a63a3c628.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2025\/08\/11\/9f8a07606c788bbd332cd54a63a3c628.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2025\/08\/11\/9f8a07606c788bbd332cd54a63a3c628.jpg"},"readDuration":"","imageDataDisplay":{"fileId":"22427","fileName":"THUMB_EpochImages-1224016146-SYJoinsDafaParade.jpg","title":"THUMB EpochImages 1224016146 SYJoinsDafaParade","alt":"THUMB EpochImages 1224016146 SYJoinsDafaParade","timeCreated":"2025-08-11 15:30:36","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/08\/11\/8e1f647f0d7d91df0cf3c7d10b37a236.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2025\/08\/11\/8e1f647f0d7d91df0cf3c7d10b37a236.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2025\/08\/11\/8e1f647f0d7d91df0cf3c7d10b37a236.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2025\/08\/11\/8e1f647f0d7d91df0cf3c7d10b37a236.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2025\/08\/11\/8e1f647f0d7d91df0cf3c7d10b37a236.jpg"}},"eId":"51v-Ip-6kPg","eid":"51v-Ip-6kPg","sectionEId":"U2m7QmLY8Tg","contentTypeEId":"JUM-7TqtxSU","timeDisplay":"July 22, 2025","seoUrl":"_51v-Ip-6kPg\/parade-persecution-falun-gong-july-20-nyc-chinatown.html","url":"\/news\/view\/article\/e\/51v-Ip-6kPg\/parade-persecution-falun-gong-july-20-nyc-chinatown.html","contentTypeNameDisplay":"News"},{"id":"52459","idText":"","urlFriendlyName":"qixi-festival-chinese-valentines-day-cowherd-and-weaver-girl-niulangzhinv","parentId":"0","userId":"44","sectionId":"171","contentTypeId":"42","langId":"1","timeCreated":"2025-08-07 13:27:12","timePublished":"2025-08-27 13:12:31","timePublishedDisplay":"0","timeUpdated":"2025-08-28 15:35:21","orderByTime":"2025-08-07 13:12:31","ip":"72.43.130.26","title":"A Love Story: The Village Boy and the Fairy","lastRevisionId":"0","protectMode":"1","password":"","passwordHint":"","commentNum":"0","ratingNum":"0","ratingAvg":"0","adminRefTime":null,"recommend":"0","sourceType":null,"commentEnable":"1","commentDisplay":"1","commentNeedApproval":"1","showOnWhatsnewAllPost":"1","status":"1","metaDescription":"A tale of star-crossed lovers. The Qixi Festival, the traditional Chinese equivalent of Valentine's Day, celebrates the true, yet forbidden love between a village cowherd and a heavenly weaver girl. But who exactly were they, how did they meet, and what happened to them?","metaKeywords":"","metaTitle":"Chinese Folk Tale: The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl","userModified":"44","notes":"","contentTypeName":"learnArticle","totalCount":"7106","username":"leeshail","userUpdated":"leeshail","sectionName":"(English) Learn Article","extra":{"id":"2735","contentId":"52459","featured":"1","imageLeading":"22448","imageCaption":"The Cowherd And Weaving Maiden by Tang Peihua (Qing Dynasty), Taipei Palace Museum Collection","imageFeaturedArticle":"","imageTopHeader":"22455","imageBackgroundLevel2":"0","imageGallery":"","imageGalleryCaption":"","introduction":"An ancient romance brought to life on stage in Shen Yun&rsquo;s 2025 production.","body":"<p><em>An ancient romance brought to life on stage in Shen Yun&rsquo;s 2025 production<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The traditional Chinese equivalent of Valentine&rsquo;s Day takes place every year on the 7th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar. Known as the Qixi Festival, this holiday celebrates the pure love between a young cowherd and a heavenly fairy, and their remarkable story.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>It&rsquo;s one of China&rsquo;s most famous folk tales, a dramatic unfolding of forbidden love. But who exactly were they, how did they meet, and what happened to them?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The story begins high up in the heavens, where seven sisters are playing in their celestial palace. They are the granddaughters of the powerful Heavenly Queen Mother, and the youngest of them is the most adored of all. Her job in the palace is to weave magical silks from the clouds, and so she is simply known as the weaver girl.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>One day, the weaver girl and her sisters come up with an unusual idea&mdash;they want to visit the mortal realm. This is generally forbidden, but they go try their luck begging the Heavenly Queen Mother for permission. They plead and cajole, and their innocent charm softens the Queen Mother, who relents and allows them to go have fun. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The fairies descend to Earth and play and swim in the waters of Emerald Lotus Pond. Just as they are bathing, their clothes resting on the rocks by the edge of the pond, a giant gray ox bounds out of the forest and heads toward the water. The other fairies quickly dress and fly off, but the weaver girl is too late&mdash;the mischievous ox has her clothes. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>A young man then suddenly appears, frantically chasing his ox. This humble cowherd tries retrieving the weaver girl&rsquo;s clothing for her, as she covers herself, modestly hiding in the water behind a rock. The cowherd finally conquers his bovine beast, returns the fairy her dress, and looks away as she makes herself decent again. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>As the weaver girl emerges to thank him, she sees something different in his eyes. And so begins an unusual friendship between heaven and earth, as the weaver girl falls in love with the simple, yet genuine nature of the earnest cowherd. She decides to marry him and stay in his village in the mortal world.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>There&rsquo;s one problem, though: Heavenly decrees prohibit gods from marrying humans. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n<div class=\"cf hidden-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/08\/17\/d8c864494c522c4cd4cc0a66785f0a20.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"contentImage--fullWidth\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n<div class=\"contentImage--fullWidth visible-xs cf\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/08\/17\/d8c864494c522c4cd4cc0a66785f0a20.jpg\" class=\"w100\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n\r\n<!-- IF CAPTION -->\r\n<div class=\"w100 imgCaption_withLink\"><div class=\"imgCaption_withLink_inner\">Collage of a series of illustrations by Mo Lang (www.toutiao.com).<\/div><\/div>\r\n<!-- ENDIF -->\r\n\r\n<br \/>\r\n<p>When the Heavenly Queen Mother finds out that her beloved granddaughter has fallen in love with a mortal, she is furious and sends her celestial troops to capture the weaver girl and return her home.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The sky darkens as the menacing celestial army descends upon the village, seizes the weaving girl, and tears the lovers apart. With one wave of her magical hairpin, the Heavenly Queen Mother creates a deep gorge that becomes a raging river preventing the cowherd from reaching his true love.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The young man is heartbroken, yet determined. Throwing all caution to the wind, he leaps into the churning waters, fighting until his last breath to reunite with his bride.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>But the force of the celestial storm is too great and the waters too violent. With one last terrible wave, the young man is overpowered, loses consciousness, and begins to sink&hellip; deep to the bottom&hellip; <\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- RIGHT ALIGNED NORMAL IMAGE -->\r\n<div>\r\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <img data-caption=\"\u9023\u74b0\u756b \u58a8\u6d6a\u7e6a Lianhuanhua version by Mo, Lang, 1910-1963 (tuotiao.com)\" data-style=\"content-image-section-right\" class=\"sy-image\" src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/08\/16\/fc1671e392a4646fdc594a1e58ac635c.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p>All along the Heavenly Queen Mother has been watching from above. She must admit that the man&rsquo;s sincere heart and determination are quite impressive. Touched, she sends a beam of light deep into the river, corralling the limp body of the young man, and lifting him back up to shore.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>He awakes, coughs up some river, and stands back up, no worse for wear.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Alas, the star-crossed lovers cannot live together as a married couple, but the Queen Mother feels for them and devises a compassionate solution.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month, the lovers are allowed to reunite. The cowherd is granted passage to the sky, ascending a bridge formed by a flock of magpies. There, between heaven and earth, he meets the weaver girl, who comes down to spend a day with her love.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>And once a year from that day forth, Chinese people have celebrated the couple with the Qixi Festival, a reminder of the power of true love, innocence, and devotion.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><em>This fairy tale, commonly known as niu lang zhi n&uuml;, or the story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, was part of Shen Yun&rsquo;s 2025 production.<\/em><\/p>","contentRelated":"20540,47943,46575","usePhotoGalleryTemplate":"0","audioLink":"","tag":"","imageSquareId":"22449"},"ext":{"id":"2735","contentId":"52459","featured":"1","imageLeading":"22448","imageCaption":"The Cowherd And Weaving Maiden by Tang Peihua (Qing Dynasty), Taipei Palace Museum Collection","imageFeaturedArticle":"","imageTopHeader":{"fileId":"22455","fileName":"\u6e05\u5510\u57f9\u83ef\u7e6a\u725b\u90ce\u7e54\u5973 \u53f0\u5317\u570b\u7acb\u6545\u5bae\u535a\u7269\u9662\u85cf  The Cowherd and Weaving Maiden  by Tang, Peihua (Qing dynasty), Taipei Palace Museum Collection.jpg","title":"\u6e05\u5510\u57f9\u83ef\u7e6a\u725b\u90ce\u7e54\u5973 \u53f0\u5317\u570b\u7acb\u6545\u5bae\u535a\u7269\u9662\u85cf  The Cowherd And Weaving Maiden  By Tang  Peihua (Qing Dynasty)  Taipei Palace ","alt":"\u6e05\u5510\u57f9\u83ef\u7e6a\u725b\u90ce\u7e54\u5973 \u53f0\u5317\u570b\u7acb\u6545\u5bae\u535a\u7269\u9662\u85cf  The Cowherd And Weaving Maiden  By Tang  Peihua (Qing Dynasty)  Taipei Palace Museum Collection","timeCreated":"2025-08-20 10:59:13","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/08\/20\/e5fb0b05fdfd999b0ccd29aec3b22627.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2025\/08\/20\/e5fb0b05fdfd999b0ccd29aec3b22627.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2025\/08\/20\/e5fb0b05fdfd999b0ccd29aec3b22627.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2025\/08\/20\/e5fb0b05fdfd999b0ccd29aec3b22627.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2025\/08\/20\/e5fb0b05fdfd999b0ccd29aec3b22627.jpg"},"imageBackgroundLevel2":"0","imageGallery":"","imageGalleryCaption":"","introduction":"An ancient romance brought to life on stage in Shen Yun&rsquo;s 2025 production.","body":"<p><em>An ancient romance brought to life on stage in Shen Yun&rsquo;s 2025 production<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The traditional Chinese equivalent of Valentine&rsquo;s Day takes place every year on the 7th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar. Known as the Qixi Festival, this holiday celebrates the pure love between a young cowherd and a heavenly fairy, and their remarkable story.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>It&rsquo;s one of China&rsquo;s most famous folk tales, a dramatic unfolding of forbidden love. But who exactly were they, how did they meet, and what happened to them?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The story begins high up in the heavens, where seven sisters are playing in their celestial palace. They are the granddaughters of the powerful Heavenly Queen Mother, and the youngest of them is the most adored of all. Her job in the palace is to weave magical silks from the clouds, and so she is simply known as the weaver girl.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>One day, the weaver girl and her sisters come up with an unusual idea&mdash;they want to visit the mortal realm. This is generally forbidden, but they go try their luck begging the Heavenly Queen Mother for permission. They plead and cajole, and their innocent charm softens the Queen Mother, who relents and allows them to go have fun. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The fairies descend to Earth and play and swim in the waters of Emerald Lotus Pond. Just as they are bathing, their clothes resting on the rocks by the edge of the pond, a giant gray ox bounds out of the forest and heads toward the water. The other fairies quickly dress and fly off, but the weaver girl is too late&mdash;the mischievous ox has her clothes. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>A young man then suddenly appears, frantically chasing his ox. This humble cowherd tries retrieving the weaver girl&rsquo;s clothing for her, as she covers herself, modestly hiding in the water behind a rock. The cowherd finally conquers his bovine beast, returns the fairy her dress, and looks away as she makes herself decent again. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>As the weaver girl emerges to thank him, she sees something different in his eyes. And so begins an unusual friendship between heaven and earth, as the weaver girl falls in love with the simple, yet genuine nature of the earnest cowherd. She decides to marry him and stay in his village in the mortal world.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>There&rsquo;s one problem, though: Heavenly decrees prohibit gods from marrying humans. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n<div class=\"cf hidden-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/08\/17\/d8c864494c522c4cd4cc0a66785f0a20.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"contentImage--fullWidth\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n<div class=\"contentImage--fullWidth visible-xs cf\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/08\/17\/d8c864494c522c4cd4cc0a66785f0a20.jpg\" class=\"w100\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n\r\n<!-- IF CAPTION -->\r\n<div class=\"w100 imgCaption_withLink\"><div class=\"imgCaption_withLink_inner\">Collage of a series of illustrations by Mo Lang (www.toutiao.com).<\/div><\/div>\r\n<!-- ENDIF -->\r\n\r\n<br \/>\r\n<p>When the Heavenly Queen Mother finds out that her beloved granddaughter has fallen in love with a mortal, she is furious and sends her celestial troops to capture the weaver girl and return her home.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The sky darkens as the menacing celestial army descends upon the village, seizes the weaving girl, and tears the lovers apart. With one wave of her magical hairpin, the Heavenly Queen Mother creates a deep gorge that becomes a raging river preventing the cowherd from reaching his true love.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The young man is heartbroken, yet determined. Throwing all caution to the wind, he leaps into the churning waters, fighting until his last breath to reunite with his bride.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>But the force of the celestial storm is too great and the waters too violent. With one last terrible wave, the young man is overpowered, loses consciousness, and begins to sink&hellip; deep to the bottom&hellip; <\/p>\r\n\r\n<!-- RIGHT ALIGNED NORMAL IMAGE -->\r\n<div>\r\n&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <img data-caption=\"\u9023\u74b0\u756b \u58a8\u6d6a\u7e6a Lianhuanhua version by Mo, Lang, 1910-1963 (tuotiao.com)\" data-style=\"content-image-section-right\" class=\"sy-image\" src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/08\/16\/fc1671e392a4646fdc594a1e58ac635c.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p>All along the Heavenly Queen Mother has been watching from above. She must admit that the man&rsquo;s sincere heart and determination are quite impressive. Touched, she sends a beam of light deep into the river, corralling the limp body of the young man, and lifting him back up to shore.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>He awakes, coughs up some river, and stands back up, no worse for wear.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Alas, the star-crossed lovers cannot live together as a married couple, but the Queen Mother feels for them and devises a compassionate solution.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month, the lovers are allowed to reunite. The cowherd is granted passage to the sky, ascending a bridge formed by a flock of magpies. There, between heaven and earth, he meets the weaver girl, who comes down to spend a day with her love.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>And once a year from that day forth, Chinese people have celebrated the couple with the Qixi Festival, a reminder of the power of true love, innocence, and devotion.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><em>This fairy tale, commonly known as niu lang zhi n&uuml;, or the story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, was part of Shen Yun&rsquo;s 2025 production.<\/em><\/p>","contentRelated":"20540,47943,46575","usePhotoGalleryTemplate":"0","audioLink":"","tag":"","imageSquareId":{"fileId":"22449","fileName":"SYWEB 308 - Village Boy & Fairy v4-Body-800w-0.jpg","title":"SYWEB 308   Village Boy & Fairy V4 Body 800w 0","alt":"SYWEB 308   Village Boy & Fairy V4 Body 800w 0","timeCreated":"2025-08-16 13:17:27","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/08\/16\/b043669a0987b6823e450053158ab98b.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2025\/08\/16\/b043669a0987b6823e450053158ab98b.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2025\/08\/16\/b043669a0987b6823e450053158ab98b.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2025\/08\/16\/b043669a0987b6823e450053158ab98b.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2025\/08\/16\/b043669a0987b6823e450053158ab98b.jpg"},"imageDataDisplay":{"fileId":"22448","fileName":"SYWEB 308 - Village Boy & Fairy v4-Thumb-800x450-0.jpg","title":"SYWEB 308   Village Boy & Fairy V4 Thumb 800x450 0","alt":"SYWEB 308   Village Boy & Fairy V4 Thumb 800x450 0","timeCreated":"2025-08-16 13:17:27","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/08\/16\/13b27f9cc9ae10dd133add0570669d7c.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2025\/08\/16\/13b27f9cc9ae10dd133add0570669d7c.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2025\/08\/16\/13b27f9cc9ae10dd133add0570669d7c.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2025\/08\/16\/13b27f9cc9ae10dd133add0570669d7c.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2025\/08\/16\/13b27f9cc9ae10dd133add0570669d7c.jpg"}},"eId":"iAZs54y4EnM","eid":"iAZs54y4EnM","sectionEId":"4Xf5v5e5JTU","contentTypeEId":"tw6mwQ-uYgE","timeDisplay":"August 27, 2025","seoUrl":"_iAZs54y4EnM\/qixi-festival-chinese-valentines-day-cowherd-and-weaver-girl-niulangzhinv.html","url":"\/explore\/view\/article\/e\/iAZs54y4EnM\/qixi-festival-chinese-valentines-day-cowherd-and-weaver-girl-niulangzhinv.html","contentTypeNameDisplay":"Explore"}]