PureInsight | November 7, 2011
[PureInsight.org] I have been introducing Shen Yun Performing Arts to people in mainland China for six years. Some practitioners asked me to write down my experiences to share with others. I also think by learning from each other, we can all do better in promoting Shen Yun. This way, we will be able to save more sentient beings and assist Master with Fa-rectification.
In “Fa Teaching Given at the NTDTV Meeting,” Master said: “You know what I’m thinking? I am preparing for Shen Yun to perform in mainland China.”… “One day things will be easier, and one day we won’t need to put much effort into advertising or producing video clips. At that time it will just take a few words—‘Shen Yun is coming’—and people will come.”
Right now, some practitioners are already promoting Shen Yun in China. If we can let go of our human notions and help each other, there will be a breakthrough in the situation.
Shen Yun performances can save people
As soon as Shen Yun appeared in 2006, I was able to feel its purity, compassion, and beauty. Compared to previous truth-clarification materials I had distributed, this was unique and powerful. I managed to obtain several copies of the Shen Yun DVD from a practitioner and immediately gave them out to everyone around me. Since the persecution started several years ago, my sister-in-law held a negative attitude towards Dafa and in the past secretly destroyed truth-clarification materials. When I visited her this time, she prepared some dishes. After the Shen Yun DVD began to play, my nephew started to dance with it and it was a very joyful time like Chinese New Year. Since then, my sister-in-law’s attitude towards Dafa changed dramatically. She not only decided to quit the CCP and affiliated organizations, but also indirectly helped me clarify the truth. When she visited me recently, she even helped me prepare bags to put the Shen Yun DVDs in. During discussions, she also showed respect towards Dafa.
In “Teaching the Fa in the City of Los Angeles,” Master said: “Speaking of this, I will talk about why the global Chinese Gala is so important. Do you realize what major things ride on this Chinese New Year Global Gala?” “The wicked CCP has always made the performing arts its tool for promoting Party culture and brainwashing and indoctrinating China's people. People from mainland China all know that every year it puts together that ‘[CCTV] Spring Festival’ show, and that all of the programs glorify the vile Party, and are highly political. But New Tang Dynasty TV's Chinese New Year Gala is even bigger--it's called ‘The Chinese New Year Global Gala.’ ‘Global’--that includes mainland China, of course. So, think about it, isn't this a huge thing? ‘Global’ means international. And if it's international, then it has to be up to international caliber, right? Our students are truly remarkable, considering how they've managed to present the galas of the past few years so well and achieved such high quality. No matter how the overall quality was or how the individual performances were, at a minimum, people couldn't make out any noticeable flaws. (Teacher laughs) (Audience laughs, applaud) The feedback has been very positive. That's why the requirements are high for each of the performers, choreographers and directors, composers, orchestras, and so on. So with certain things we need to start from the basics. Also, as you know, I said something before: Whether it be the overall effect of the Gala, a song that is sung, or a music note that's played, all of these things that Dafa disciples do have the effect of validating the Fa in other dimensions. The energy emitted is quite strong, and it dissolves evil. Another thing is, the people of the future will follow what today's Dafa disciples do. Dafa disciples are taking the lead in leaving a certain culture for the future people, and they are cleansing out the vile party's culture, aren't they? That is why the vile CCP has been so sinister and tried to make trouble. The performances have the direct effect of validating the Fa and saving sentient beings. Their impact is thus quite significant, and their effects are quite good. If we could keep doing this non-stop, instead of having just a few shows, like at present, if we could put on more shows, then think about how many sentient beings would be saved! Do you realize, when those who have watched the Gala walk out of the theatre, any and all bad thoughts they had have been dissolved? All of their bad thoughts are gone. (Applause) That's why people found it so powerful.”
At “Fa Teaching at the 2007 New York Fa Conference,” Master said: “Why are we doing that? To entertain ordinary people? Absolutely not. Everyone is clear on this. What we wish to do is to, through this medium, display Dafa disciples' demeanor, do away with the lies and slander that the wicked Party has instilled in people, and at the same time save all beings and clarify the facts.” “Of course, things are always easier said than done, and once I got involved the very nature of it changed. You all know that Dafa disciples are to validate the Fa, so then what is Master doing? Master came to do Fa-rectification. That is why once I decided to do this, everything changed--the audience members before us, the people I wanted to save, and the affair itself that was to be carried out. If this was to be done well, then it must achieve the best results and truly save and rescue people. Only then would I do it, and this had to be achieved. So I couldn't do things as before. Before, Dafa disciples were doing the show part time, and now, if it was to be done, it had to be high caliber. Of course, some people said, ‘Whatever Master does is sure to be done the very best.’ True! If it were not the best, I wouldn't do it. (Applause) So, I asked people to start recruiting for and setting up a school of dance, selected talented people, and formed an orchestra. This entire sequence of events required training and development starting from the fundamentals, and it all had to lead to truly top-notch performances. Master has been involved in many of these things, including creative components of it and rehearsals. You have all heard about this.”
Master also said: “It is rare to see audience members shedding tears at a performing arts event. At every show put on by Divine Performing Arts, there were many audience members who shed tears throughout, with many more having to constantly wipe tears from their eyes. Every show was like that. People were deeply stirred and moved. In this dimension it was young people who were performing, while in other dimensions, many of my Law Bodies and many divine beings were doing so. (Applause) The strength of the impact on people, as with the changes it caused in them, were very similar to what happened back when I personally taught the Fa early on. (Applause) So it has effected tremendous changes in people.” “In fact, many members of the audience had their health problems resolved in that field. Those who watched the shows don't know that yet, but they will gradually come to. By the time they finished watching the show, their minds were purified and their health recovered. (Applause) So I think that what we did had excellent results.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2007 New York Fa Conference”)
Through Fa-study, I further realized the importance of Shen Yun. Once I gave a copy of the 2007 Shen Yun performance DVD to an uncle who had already retired and quit the CCP. But his wife did not agree with quitting the CCP. When I clarified the truth to a group of people later in their presence, my aunt changed her attitude and agreed to quit the CCP organization that she had joined several decades earlier. From this, I further knew the power of Shen Yun was great and for the last few years continued to distribute DVDs. Master also helped me and it always went smoothly. When sometimes lacking confidence, I often watched the Shen Yun performance again. My daughter, who was very good at dancing, often watched the DVDs with me. I was very touched and often in tears when watching the performance. This greatly helped me to distribute more DVDs afterwards.
Sacredness
In the past six years, I received lots of gratitude when distributing Shen Yun performance DVDs and most of the feedback was positive. I always felt I did not have enough DVDs and regretted being unable to give it to more people. When going out to distribute the DVDs, I always put on some makeup and dressed well. Some people even asked if I was the actress on the DVD cover or if I had performed in the show. Many relatives or friends were impressed by the show, from the acrobatics to the beautiful backdrop.
Mainstream people began to practice after watching Shen Yun
During distribution of Shen Yun DVDs over the past several years, Master arranged many people in mainstream society to come to know the show. Once at a vacation resort, a business partner of my husband lived in a high end hotel, which cost the three-member family 10,000 yuan a day. He said he had donated 2 million yuan to charity. He invited us for a dinner and said that both his father and grandfather had been mistreated by the CCP. Because I had given the Shen Yun DVD to him the day before, he said he wanted to practice. I thus gave him a DVD which contained Master’s lectures in Guangzhou as well as the exercises. I also met two ladies on the bus and both of them began to practice after watching the Shen Yun DVDs I gave to them.
Introducing Shen Yun to monks and nuns
When encountering monks and nuns at resorts, I always greeted them and gave them a Shen Yun DVD. I told them that the Udumbara flower mentioned in Buddha scriptures had been in blossom and the DVD showed how high level beings descended to this world to save people. I sometimes also mentioned several cultivation stories in the Buddha School and most people happily accepted the DVDs. It was a sacred scene as if the monks and nuns had been waiting for this for a long time.
Introducing Shen Yun to the mainstream society in public
I often distributed Shen Yun performance DVDs in public, to stores, at bus stops, and at weddings. Last year, a university nearby held a sports day to celebrate its anniversary. Local practitioners worked together to distribute Shen Yun DVDs to nearly 100 guests from various places nationwide. I distributed the materials while other practitioners stood nearby to send forth righteous thoughts. The only opportunity to meet these guests was one passage from the main street to the dining hall where there were many police officers and bystanders. We sent forth righteous thoughts the entire morning and asked Master to help clear any interfering elements. Three of us stood close to the dining hall. As soon as the invited guests appeared and walked on the passage next to me, I began to hand them the DVDs. To my surprise, the first person I gave the DVD to said it was related to Falun Gong. I calmed down, sent forth righteous thoughts, and said to him, “This is a world-class performance with live orchestra. The artists were selected from international dance competitions and the ticket price is as high as 500 dollars in mainstream society. There are many Chinese legends as well.” Upon hearing these words, the person next to him accepted two DVDs and gave one copy to this person.
I continued to distribute the DVDs as if the police officers did not exist and the whole process went smoothly. This way, we gave out all the DVDs we took with us, about 70 of them. Through this experience, we were able to work together better as one body. Some practitioners who had not stepped forward to clarify the truth previously also gained more courage.
Preparation of the DVDs
From 2009, the preparation of Shen Yun performances had higher standards. I also began to produce DVDs in my home. From the ink-jet printer to DVD writer, from printing the DVD cover to packaging the DVD, I was able to do all of them myself. In “Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa,” Master said: “what I want to see you do is precisely to focus your effort on making new inroads.”
When preparing the DVDs, we always selected the materials carefully to achieve the best results. All the printed pictures needed to have high resolution and look very nice from the cover to the contents. This way, we felt very confident when handing them to people and there was very little interference.
I also overcame many tribulations in the family through this process. Because of the persecution, my husband was almost paranoid when seeing me preparing truth-clarification materials in the past. Now, when he saw me able to produce such high-quality DVDs one after another, he was really impressed. In addition, he also experienced the benefit that Dafa and Shen Yun brought to him, so he gradually began to support my efforts.
Some tribulations
After several years of distributing Shen Yun DVDs, right now I am able to do it with compassion and a peaceful mind. With faith in Master and the Fa, I believe nothing could stop me from saving sentient beings.
I was arrested one day in 2007 after giving Shen Yun DVDs to cashiers many times in a high-end shopping center. I sent forth righteous thoughts and was able to leave the police station after being kept there for one night. Six days later, I returned home and continued to assist Master with the Fa-rectification. When looking inward, I found many loopholes, for example showing-off (feeling bad when reading reports on the persecution happening to other practitioners, thinking to have a try myself), human notions of doing more things, lack of righteous thoughts, and lack of compassion (sometimes even forcing others to do something).
One day when visiting a computer shopping center at a resort, I only had one DVD left. Thinking many people were waiting to be saved, I decided to copy more DVDs in the computer shopping center. There were some security personnel walking back and forth, but I was not disturbed by them and kept sending forth righteous thoughts. There appeared to be a battle between the righteous and evil in other dimensions since it took me about three hours to make 10 copies of the DVD. I gave two of them to other shoppers and felt happy about it.
People are waiting for Shen Yun
Once on the way to another practitioner’s home, I met an elderly couple who just visited their daughter. I greeted them and began to talk with them. Then I found the elderly man’s body leaning forward as we talked, as if his hands were pressed together as in heshi. I knew this was an opportunity for me to give him the Shen Yun DVD. I took out a DVD from my bag and told him it was a world-class performance with many ancient legends like the Monkey King, etc. He was very touched as if he had been waiting for a long time. I had many experiences like this during the past several years.
Another time, I went with a fellow practitioner to a city far away and on the way distributed many DVDs. When almost back home, I saw a young mother holding a baby who was crying. I gave them a Shen Yun DVD. The mother thanked me and the baby immediately stopped crying when seeing the DVD.
In “Dafa Disciples Must Study the Fa,” Master said: “Actually, when Master wants something done a certain way, it’s not simply that he thought of something and then that’s it. I have to do a tremendous amount of preparation, which you cannot see, and all of those gods work on it too. Everything has been prepared, and all that’s missing is for you to carry it out.”
I think I have done rather poorly and sincerely wish we can all do better and better.
Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2011/9/28/77633.html
