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Epoch Times is tied to the nut bags that run this show Falong Gong. Whoever wrote that is completely backwards, this play and group are basically around to espouse the evils of the CCP.
I worked with a guy from the Falling Gong, he was a quiet nice guy, I was able to get him to share with me some of his beliefs and some of his books, one was a kind of anthropology book seemed to have dates and methods used in the past kind of thing?
He did share that they believe in multiverse or something like that, iirc.
What I learned was some kind gentle guy worked hard and then still went and spent lots of time with his group of people to spread the message, reminded me of all my friends who had to go to midweek Bible study.
They kinda are. My parents had a friend long time ago. His wife was part of Falong Gong. She kept donating all their money to the point where they had no furniture left and were sleeping on mattresses. I think the husband ended up divorcing.
Yeah, every year they take over the UBC student union building to put up giant paintings depicting how the CCP tortures Falungong practitioners. Like really graphic paintings of organ harvesting for example.
Sad thing is, even though they are as nutty as any other religion, including Scientology, the CCP does organ harvest them.. Their clean living lifestyle makes them prime candidates
Worth noting that the Falun Gong is crazy on another level though.
[https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Falun\_Gong](https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Falun_Gong)
This is a somewhat lengthy but enlightening read:
[Stepping Into the Uncanny, Unsettling World of Shen Yun](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/stepping-into-the-uncanny-unsettling-world-of-shen-yun)
Yeah, there’s a reason the CCP wasn’t happy with these guys lol. It’s a creepy cult.
That said, capturing and killing the cultists isn’t exactly a good solution…
I linked RationalWiki for a reason, Wikipedia might as well be a sales pamphlet. RationalWiki is far better, no bullshit place to get insight into psuedo-science, cults and snake oil.
I trust Wikipedia much more than RationalWiki to be an impartial source. RationalWiki clearly has some biases and I suggest you critically examine them if you consider it a trustworthy source.
They do have a ton of sources and citations, plenty from the horses mouth itself (falun gong, epoch times, etc.).
Wikipedia isn't impartial, it's a battleground of peoples opinions and things end up watered down and a-political. They state pretty strong bullshit, like
" Falun Gong doctrine counsels against participation in political or social issues.[\[75\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falun_Gong#cite_note-75) Excessive interest in politics is viewed as an attachment to worldly power and influence, and Falun Gong aims for transcendence of such pursuits. According to Hu Ping, "Falun Gong deals only with purifying the individual through exercise, and does not touch on social or national concerns. It has not suggested or even intimated a model for social change. Many religions \[...\] pursue social reform to some extent \[...\] but there is no such tendency evident in Falun Gong."[\[76\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falun_Gong#cite_note-Ping-76)"
Oh really? Then why the Epoch Times (a far right paper), why the huge donations to trump? why the "Communism before China" moniker on their alien ballet? For a a-political, organization that's a pretty bunk statement.
Wikipedia is a bit too "middle of the road" for controversial content. RationalWiki is skewed towards rationalism and anti-woo, making them a better source for a realistic viewpoint on quackery/psuedoscience and cults.
I've never used RationalWiki but under the section for `Views on homosexuality` this is the entry
>According to a letter to the editor of the San Francisco News Sentinel in 2006 written by a man who claimed to be the son of Falun Gong practitioners, the movement also teaches that "homosexuality is not the standard of being human, the priority of Gods will be to eliminate homosexuals and that gays are demonic in nature." Other postings on the internet echo this.
You can't expect someone to believe Falun Gong is a homophobic organization because on a letter to the editor can you? The citation doesn't actually link to the San Francisco News Sentinel. It links to a website called Daily Kos which links to `www.rickross.com`. It's not even a credibly sourced letter to the editor.
I don't know much about Falun Gong save from my Dad likes Epoch Times so it's probably nutty but this link as you present it has serious credibility issues.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191208210047/https://gb.falundafa.org/chigb/hongyin.htm#68](https://web.archive.org/web/20191208210047/https://gb.falundafa.org/chigb/hongyin.htm#68)
From the rational-wiki references, to Falun Dafa's stuff, translate to english. Yes, anti-gay, anti-race mixing are all part of the doctrine. Yes, this is allegedly writings from the leader of Falun Gong (from their servers).
**world evil**
People have no good thoughts and everyone is an enemy,destroying traditional culture, decadence, same-sex desires, and dark demons, gambling anddrugs, doing whatever they want. Ruthless Religion Evil Turns Money into Politicians July 7, 1998
It's funny, I used to be fairly sympathetic to the whole "persecuted by the CCP" narrative they had going, with the protests in front of the consulate on Granville and all, but they've really managed to wear that away in the years since. The constantly returning (it's not a "once in a lifetime experience" it comes back regularly on its endless tour back and forth across North America, I've seen the same ad for different cities at different times of year, you can't fool me stupid ad) Shen Yun ads have only added to that.
CCP worse.. CCP puts them in concentration camps. I'm sure they're as nutty as a Mormon-Scientology mix.. But only one has a police state at their disposal.
They usually do this by "encouraging" their citizens to boycott Canadian products as well as unlawfully imprisoning Canadians who reside in China and holding them hostage.
Hahahahahaha.. Of course they can, and they have, same with the US... Trade wars, candidate financing on both sides of the aisle, in both countries, diplomatic leverage. China may not always win, but definitely saying they don't is incorrect. Hollywood has to pass all their films through China's censors or they want anything to be screened in China. It's a huge market to neglect.
Lol.. That's limited thinking.. There are far many ways to punish a country.. Canada punishes many countries through trade, and economic and political channels, with never stepping a foot in the other nation.
if you think intelligence on enemies is more important than what foreigners think about you, then it could be a good way to track your enemies
(i don’t actually believe FG is run by CCP)
Regardless of your position on the politics of the current government, when the poster says "China before communism" they mean China before the Communist party became the government. It's an anti CPC program.
CCP haven’t really been ideologically communist for decades, they’ve just co-opted the title while being just another far right nation similar the Soviet Union back in the day.
Why the downvotes? The CCP use the title of communism but they are nothing of the sort. They are a capitalist dictatorship. Sometimes redditors make little sense. The CCP are not communists, I was being rhetorical.
It's not that it's incorrect, it's that it's not really relevant. CPP's power is partially built on at least the *illusion* of communism and that ideal - openly allowing something that criticizes something so central is a threat to their ideological stranglehold.
The first part of what you say is the point - they use the *title* of communism. And now that they do, they are compelled to interpret criticism of that title as criticism of themselves - especially when it is explicitly criticism of the CPP as in Shen Yun. And we know how the CCP feels about criticism.
Hence the downvotes - because whether CCP's actual practice is correctly communist or not isn't that important to the point of how they would relate to the message of Falun Gong.
It'd be kind of like a show openly criticizing democracy as a concept touring the United States. Politicians would mostly condemn it, because the US is founded on a cornerstone of democracy as a concept - even if its' current implementation could be argued not to be a true democracy. Of course, the U.S. isn't totalitarian in the same way, so the government isn't quite as compelled to combat that sort of messaging.
it kind of is relevant though when the title is what hides the true nature of the CCP, however weakly. the Falun Gong group here use the term as an obvious proxy to the real Winnie the Poo group. ie. before the Assholes took over. Not sure either group has a handle on truth as they drink their own brands of koolaid.
Truth is though that the CCP kill and harm Uighurs and other non Han classed people so in this it seems Falun Gong get a pass as it raises the masses awareness that the CCP is full of it. The CCP seem to care to want to be seen as 'good guys' i guess, even when I am sure most know they are not. They aren't as Isolated as North Korea and can't get away with as much without having to pull out the army of wumaos.
Probably closer to a touring play about US Senators taking bribes to ignore gun issues like their average of 10 mass murders a week. The government would be compelled to react to that since it's a little too much truth that they are currently allowed (by the populace) to get away with for some strange reason.
From my understanding, FALUN DAFA is a political group masked as a religious group and is actively campaigning against the CCP. Hence you can see the “China before communism” at the top of that poster.
I wouldn’t touch this group or the related Shen Yun events with a 10-foot pole. Too politically charged for the average citizen just looking to enjoy an artistic event.
They got too big and influential. Only reason CCP needs. The trigger though was they organized a massive protest (not sure why) and surrounded the governmental block. CCP got pretty spooked and massively cracked down.
Might be a bit more nuisanced than that but they do preach the importance of natural immunity and the effect of spirituality on it.
Source: I watched their official channel for a few months when it was free (it had some interesting takes on what was happening in China)
There was a time in the 80s-90s where qigong, a type of exercise/meditation (think: yoga-ish), was heavily promoted in China as a sort of pseudo healthy past time. Falun Gong simply became one of the leading sects of qigong and the leader shaped the organization into a cult. Eventually the CCP cracked down on them and they retorted by claiming persecution.
By the way, if it's not obvious, most people in this thread calling out Falun Gong isn't really supporting the CCP. I imagine that they'd act the same way if Scientology somehow took hold in China.
This would be like saying the Canadian government ran the *'Freedom convoy'. I understand where you're coming from, but you're kinda showing everyone that you're completely misinformed about whats happening if you think this is correct.
*edited to change 'Trucker' to 'Freedom'
Falun Gong is a crazy right wing conspiracy, but they are actually vehemently anti-CCP. They want to go back to authoritarian monarchy instead of authoritarian pseudo-Communism.
The only thing that is wrong is that the Falun Gong and associated orgs are ran by the CPC.
While the Falun Gong are opposed by the CPC they are also somewhat a doomsdayish anti homosexual racist cult that just happens to be anti communist.
Not anti everything. They were strongly pro-Trump. They were his biggest supporter on Facebook in 2016. Their "Epoch Time" once surpass New York Times subscription (for a week) on Apple's app store.
One day someone dropped the Epoch Times at my door step and it’s very much pro Trump and anti-science. It also talked about Bill Gates wanted to chip everyone.
Forgive the naive question - I want to learn - is Falun Gong and Falun Dafa the same organization?
(If so, why two names? What are we missing, not speaking the language?) thx
Xxx Gong is the Practice of xxx, like in gong Fu or kung Fu you get a wide range of xxx gong/kung. Xxx DaFa is directly translated as Grant Laws of xxx or the Great xxx Rules. So they're interchangeable in the sense that both refers to mastery of certain skills, but DaFa usually describes a practice with significant, grant use or impact or results. But funny thing is DaFa is usually used in fiction or by cults. If I look up dafa, it is now flg has completely taken over this keyword. You won't be able to find other dafas, unless u know their full titles by heart like I do. ex. Shaolin has their own dafas, and there are different dafas in wu-fi (wuxia fiction)
No, they are not funded by CCP, they hate one another. [They are a front for a cult that's being prosecuted by China](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mQ8plzWl9g), so both sides are assholes...
Funny thing is that the CCP was cool with Falun Gong in their early years, but decided to cut ties due to how culty they ended up being.
Shen Yun isn't even "traditional" in Chinese culture before communism, with the dances being more like some weird ballet. If you want China before communism, look at Taiwan.
Eh, it's like saying "I'm taking a vacation to Puerto Rico " means the same as "I'm taking a trip to the US". Sure by the law it's apart of the US but it's so self-contained that it might aswell be something else.
As others have noted, the writer is completely wrong. The Falun Dafa movement is a cult that was persecuted by the CCP inside China because it grew too big and was seen as a threat to their rule. After much persecution etc, most of them fled to the USA and their base is huge in the Greater NYC area, where their Epoch Times propaganda newspaper is based.
The Shen Yun ballet is their global money maker machine to further their anti-CCP campaign.
Here's what I got when asking for a refund to the show...
Message:
Hi, I recently ordered tickets for the show in Vancouver. Although I see that there are no refunds, I am respectfully requesting one. I did not realize this was associated with Falun Gong.
Dear Dan,
Thank you for your order for our show tickets, and also got your request
for refund due to the misunderstanding on 'Falun Gong' issue. We are
sorry to hear this, and want to explain more details to you on this.
As you may know, the mission of our company is to revive traditional
Chinese culture. What most people don’t realize is just how profoundly
spiritual that culture really is.
The entire Chinese civilization was founded on a rich cosmology that
emphasized a harmonious interplay between heaven, man, and earth. The
ancient text Yi Jing, or Book of Changes states, “The visible and
tangible is just a container, the invisible and intangible is the Tao.”
It is this invisible spiritual essence that drives the Chinese worldview
and moral philosophy, and it has enriched classical Chinese language,
arts, and literature for thousands of years. To talk about traditional
Chinese culture without understanding its spiritual underpinnings would
be like talking about ancient Greece while neglecting the Olympian Gods.
Without this understanding and this context, the art and literature of
those societies simply wouldn’t make much sense.
Ancient civilizations of both East and West believed that conduct was
right or wrong based whether it disrupted the “natural” order and
pleased or displeased the gods. Divine beings were believed to have
regularly made their presence felt, be they in the form of angels,
fairies, or deities. Most people couldn’t actually see them, of course,
so they looked to omens and the weather for signs. It was left to the
artists to attempt to portray the immortals and their interactions with
man. And so artists were a big part of keeping the ancient stories alive.
The story of the Chinese civilization is particularly long and rich. It
took a dramatic turn about six decades ago when the communist regime
took over. The story suddenly became one of destruction – the
destruction of China’s fundamental values and traditions. The ideology
of the Chinese Communist Party was and still is strictly atheist, which
means that anyone who believes otherwise becomes an enemy of the state.
This is why during Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution, scholars and the
cultural elite were denounced, and millions of innocent people were
killed. Classic books and music were banned, ancient artwork was burned,
sacred statues were smashed, and monks and nuns were forced to marry
each other.
The assault on traditional values did not end with the Cultural
Revolution in the 1970s, though. It just became more hidden, more
sophisticated, and more insidious over the years. As you may know,
people of faith—be they House Christian or Tibetan Buddhist—continue to
persecuted in the People’s Republic of China even today. One group
stands out just in sheer numbers: the practitioners of Falun Dafa. They
are now the largest group of prisoners of conscience in the world. And
it’s just because their traditional principles of Truthfulness,
Compassion, and Forbearance run counter to the Party’s ideology of
political struggle.
Theirs is a peaceful meditation practice of the Buddha School. The
virtues they attempt to cultivate in themselves are universal to all
humankind. And yet, hundreds of thousands of them are still illegally
incarcerated and tortured in the Chinese prison system.
The reason that the Communist Party is persecuting Falun Dafa today is
the same reason it tried to destroy traditional Chinese beliefs during
the Cultural Revolution and is the same reason it opposes Shen Yun.
Falun Dafa is rooted in ancient Chinese culture and its ideas like
spiritual elevation and reverence for the Divine. Traditional culture,
Falun Dafa, and Shen Yun all revolve around the same core values of this
spiritual culture; presenting Falun Dafa on stage is one way in which
Shen Yun represents this traditional culture.
The two dance pieces set in China today about the persecution of Falun
Dafa is their depiction of a tragic episode in modern-day Chinese
history. It is also an expression of the artists’ hope that goodness
will ultimately prevail.
The choreographers and directors are doing what artists do—interpreting
and conveying things that they find meaningful and moving. Would we
fault a medieval painter for expressing his sorrow over the martyrdom of
a beloved saint? Or a Jewish writer for recounting the horrors of the
concentration camps? We wouldn’t, partially because these examples of
persecution are already familiar to us. There may be those who claim
that this kind of subject matter is inappropriate or somehow political.
But to do so would be to miss the point and to deny some rather
significant events in history that have shaped the West in countless ways.
At Shen Yun, we believe that true art must go beyond entertainment.
Ideally, it should speak to us, expand our horizons, even provoke and
test us, and eventually enlighten us. The ancient Chinese believed that
to create art worthy of the heavens, there must first be inner beauty
and purity.
Today, Shen Yun’s performers strive to follow this lofty tradition. They
practice meditation, and they work extremely hard, bringing a sincerity
to their performance that I think you can see in their smiles. They are
truly performing for the audience, sharing the best of ancient
traditions with the world. Many audience members leave the theater
saying they feel uplifted, perhaps reassured that even as we go about
our ordinary lives, if our hearts are in the right place, the divine may
not be so far away.
I hope this addresses some of your concerns and sheds some light on
rather complex issues. The Chinese civilization is vast and, as
everywhere, its history is still being played out today.
We welcome any other ideas or suggestions you may have about how we can
better express what we are trying to convey. Our policy is to be open
about who we are and what we do: our materials state that our show is
about reviving traditional Chinese culture, and we also mention Falun
Dafa’s role in the performance. To find out more, please check out our
website for an entire section on related topics:
http://www.shenyun.com/spirituality/challenges-we-face
Thank you again for reaching out to us. I hope you understand what our
show is, and will change your mind about it, especially 'a Falun Gong show'.
In addition, when you purchase tickets, you already agreed the
non-refundable policy. For the performing arts industry, it is the
normal rule for every show tickets. But I believe you will definitely
enjoy and appreciate our show, go to experience it without any hesitation.
Warmest regards,
G
TL;DR
Bought tix for Shen Yun. Found out they were affiliated with Falun Gong and asked for a refund.
They said "No" in a very long winded manner.
Can someone please respectfully explain this controversy? I have thought about seeing this but I have seen that it is controversial and I would like to know why? I’m white and born and raised here so I do not want to sound ignorant. I want to be educated about this. Thx
To add on to /u/cosmic_16 , although it's true that the Falun Gong have suffered by CCP persecution, they're also quite cult-like in their beliefs (think Scientology) and have allied themselves with US far right groups. They also run the Epoch Times, which although is anti-CCP, is rife with propaganda.
I'm biased against the CCP as a Taiwanese-Canadian and in this case, the enemy of my enemy is certainly not my friend.
Falun Gong is a religious group / anti-CCP organization based in the US and ex-Chinese. They're behind probably all the protests in Vancouver against the CCP (except for the Taiwanese ones maybe) and really, really hate the CCP. They are the political opposition to the CCP.
My mother once called Falun Gong "a bunch of crazy idiots" (not exact translation) but she was raised under CCP, so not exactly most reliable source.
\- an equally confused asian
#From the Wikipedia Article on Shen Yun:
Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by Chinese expatriate adherents of **Falun Gong**, and is based at Falun Gong's 427-acre (1.73 km2) Dragon Springs compound in Deerpark, New York, northwest of New York City, near where the new religious group's leader and founder, Li Hongzhi, and many of his followers also reside.
...
**Shen Yun performances have received criticism for promoting sectarian doctrines and negative views toward evolution, atheism, and homosexuality.**
...
The group is promoted by The Epoch Times, a far-right media outlet affiliated with Falun Gong.
---
#From the Wikipedia Article on Falun Gong:
Falun Gong was founded by its leader Li Hongzhi in China in the early 1990s.
...
All sexual relations outside the confines of monogamous, heterosexual marriage are regarded as immoral.
...
**Li Hongzhi taught that homosexuality makes one "unworthy of being human", creates bad karma, and is comparable to organized crime.** He also taught that "disgusting homosexuality shows the dirty abnormal psychology of the gay who has lost his ability of reasoning". Li additionally stated in a 1998 speech in Switzerland that "gods' first target of annihilation would be homosexuals."
...
Falun Gong's cosmology includes the belief that different ethnicities each have a correspondence to their own heavens, and that **individuals of mixed race lose some aspect of this connection.**
---
#TL;DR
Shen Yun is propaganda for a cult (Falun Gong) that believes gay people aren't worthy of being human and that people of mixed races are somehow less holy than others. **Please don't financially support them, there are many better shows out there that don't use your money to fund homophobic, racist, bigoted cults.**
You're welcome! the advertisements make it look like a nice innocent cultural event with music and dancing lol so a lot of people just see the posters and don't think anything of it. I recommend checking out [this very well-written article](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/stepping-into-the-uncanny-unsettling-world-of-shen-yun) by someone who attended the event first hand if you are at all interested in learning more.
Shen Yun may be fake folk-iness, but there's no way the CCP is in any way involved. The steps CCP goes to to defame, discredit and spread disinformation are truly legendary, it's sad to see how little people recognize this or care about it. Anyways, I'm off to complain about alt right russian troll bot nazis on twitter.
So when I was taking out my recycling the other day, this Chinese Man was walking door to door handing fliers for this event out and putting them on front doors. Since i was outside, he forced this into my hand. I said no and he obviously did not speak English. I saw another Chinese woman across the street leaving it on my neighbor’s door. He didn’t understand when I tried to give it back, so when he walked away, I put it in my paper recycling. They are really trying to push this.
When I was in Highschool, they had old aunties in Metrotown targeting Asian Highschool kids for soliciting their personal information so that they can add your name to the “X millions quit the CCP” count.
This is a good example of racists not caring what kind of Chinese person you are. Good reminder to folks who think it's enough to identify as Canadian to protect them against xenophobia.
The whole thing is designed as anti-China propaganda lol. The Epoch Times is a far-right evangelical rag that hates the shit out of the CCP.
Some lib mixed up their anti-evangelical outrage with their trying-to-start-a-war-with-China talking points.
I'm actually curious are they far right or so far left they appear far right. From what I heard was they are essentially the original red guard /cultural revolution descendents that felt betrayed by the currency CCP... Aka not fucking commie enough. The only thing I can tell is they are a super hard on full hatred for the current CCP and would spew any lies and brainwashing they can, at any cost to bring down the CCP. Super scary group if their core cult isn't such a goddamn Freakshow.
Weird. I never knew these dance shows had anything to do with cngov or flg. I've been told falongong is a big evil cult from china and did crazy things back there etc but I remained skeptic until I was approached last year by one believer at the crystal mall. This old lady sneaked behind me as I enjoy my food and she asked if I am Chinese then tried to brainwash me if I believe in falongong I will be covid-proof. Fucking crazy shit. I ran away and did not return for months.
Is the art of the show at least worth the watch?
Like, let's assume I'm completely immune to what they are peddling and I take it as a story of complete fiction...
Is it entertain? Does the dancing stand as its own work? Are the artists impressive at least?
Or would I be better off seeing a circus show (and I've seen a few, and they are usually pretty fun)!
Might want to learn the intricacies of Falun Dafa & its history with CCP first before start vandalizing public properties.
Anything with mandarin words in it doesnt have to have CCP ties all the time.
This runs in Toronto too, I heard it is “banned in China” so wtf is all the hate about? Give it a rest. Plenty of other reasons to despise China, this isn’t one of them.
Minor correction: the show has ties to anti-communist "religious" (more of a cult akin to Scientology) folks, the Falun Gong, which has cultists/worshippers in areas all over the world (including Taiwan).
Yup. And if you truly believe you can stop taking life saving medicine. Oh, those people that died did not truly believe. They should have not cheaped out and paid for the next level up. Shame.
No they shouldn't be respected, Falun Gong is no different than western cults. The preach extremely dangerous beliefs to their followers, as well as promoting disinformation using their media wing the Epoch Times. They promote genuinely homophobic and racist ideas.
If I had a penny for every hack that told me to be kind I would be rich. They can still say a bare minimum nugget of truth while also being monsters.
We can ignore them promoting Qanon conspiracies and anti-vaxx stuff on their own operated media wings, IE Epoch times and New tang TV. You can also ignore that Li Hongzhi literally said in his own lecture, his own words that gay people are quote "unworthy of being human". He also said that race mixing causes human beings to become "a rootless people". Again his own words that the falun gong do not deny and instead say on their official website "this is good actually" in PR speak.
Also please critically think about the things that the say, and don't mistake criticism of them as being Chinese propaganda, that is actual silly behavior when the Falun gong as an organization also puts out their own far-right propaganda via the Epoch Times and New Tang TV.
You don't have to like the falun gong because they also dislike the CCP.
Reddit is all kinds of weird but this tops it. Agenda?
People in Vancouver involved in Chinese cinema and politics like they have an actual valid opinion is like white Americans speaking on African things in the U.S without any prior knowledge.
Just cause there’s a lot of African Americans doesn’t mean the people of America have a clue about the African modern culture/history.
Same goes for Vancouver, why on earth are all these random nobodies sticking their long noses in the the business or China/Chinese.
……simple answer ..same as us Americans. It gets the clicks! Your media gives you more info on China than your actual province.
Strange city / post….
You guys are the strangest bunch of American top hats I’ve encountered, there’s no getting wrong crack on every corner, and every second person with a Herschel hat. Must be Vancouver, Seattles twisted sister.
I remember when I was in grade 2 or 3 in China, the local government sent a police officer to our school to do a "educational summer camp" in the hottest day of July. I was a kid that had no idea about what a "cult" even was, and I sit there spending whole morning listening to the officer talking about "never trust Falun Gong", "if you see them, report to the police immediately", shit like that.
Until years later I found Epoch Times and NTD TV, I realized that they are just a bunch of lunatics that are essentially the same as crazy CCP supporters but with opposite opinions lol
All religions are essentially long term cults and are also anti-government at their core. From the outside, even atheists think Christianity is a giant cult, and Christian’s think Muslim’s are out to lunch. At this point it’s a constant info war between political and religious groups, all of them spinning yarns to win over the hearts and minds of their target group.
Actually Shen Yun is anti CCP, do your research. They have historical inaccuracies that are in conflict with CCP Chinese history. Thats why there is no Shen Yun in China. The show is an entry point for the falun dafa to spread their ideas.
Lol Falun Gong is most certainly NOT ran by the CCP, they are rabidly anti-communist. They are a racist cult that doesn’t believe in interracial marriage or mixed race children though, so don’t support them either way.
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Lol this is so wrong. The group finding it is very anti ccp. And even then they still manage to be hatable AF. Garbage propaganda
Very much "everyone sucks" in this situation, but yeah. It's not the CCP running these shows or the Epoch Times for sure.
Epoch Times is tied to the nut bags that run this show Falong Gong. Whoever wrote that is completely backwards, this play and group are basically around to espouse the evils of the CCP.
I worked with a guy from the Falling Gong, he was a quiet nice guy, I was able to get him to share with me some of his beliefs and some of his books, one was a kind of anthropology book seemed to have dates and methods used in the past kind of thing? He did share that they believe in multiverse or something like that, iirc. What I learned was some kind gentle guy worked hard and then still went and spent lots of time with his group of people to spread the message, reminded me of all my friends who had to go to midweek Bible study.
As an outsider, it seems like any other religion but for some reason people seem to think that they are a cult.
They kinda are. My parents had a friend long time ago. His wife was part of Falong Gong. She kept donating all their money to the point where they had no furniture left and were sleeping on mattresses. I think the husband ended up divorcing.
It's basically the scientology model in a lot of ways. They brainwash families into donating their modest fortunes
Here’s a not-so secret: Most religions are just a cult that grew beyond cult size. Functionally cults do not differ from religion whatsoever
Not any less culty than, say, Mormonism
They are racist, they claim mixed race people won’t go to heaven.
"The evils of the CCP"
Im speaking from their perspective, I'm not siding with them. The CCP does have it's own issues like any other major political party.
CCP is evil, but FLG is stupid as well
Yeah, every year they take over the UBC student union building to put up giant paintings depicting how the CCP tortures Falungong practitioners. Like really graphic paintings of organ harvesting for example.
Sad thing is, even though they are as nutty as any other religion, including Scientology, the CCP does organ harvest them.. Their clean living lifestyle makes them prime candidates
The sad thing is, their perforamance is actually really high quality. Shame that the it's associated with a cult.
Eh, when I went I wasn't impressed.
When I saw this, I was fed up with all the talking. English, french and mandarin- get on with the dancing already!!!
I mean this “show” is meant to be a broadcast. I never attended one, but I won’t be surprised if 80% of time is talking CCP shit or something similar😆
They are anti CCP, and they are also the second CCP. Both are the truth
CCP said that only them can save China. Not a lie
Actually CCP does NOT support this show. In fact, CCP actually actively punishes governments and entities that allow this show to be performed.
Worth noting that the Falun Gong is crazy on another level though. [https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Falun\_Gong](https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Falun_Gong)
Wow, so like if Scientology and the Church of Mormon had a bastard love child
With "Chinese" characteristics.
This is a somewhat lengthy but enlightening read: [Stepping Into the Uncanny, Unsettling World of Shen Yun](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/stepping-into-the-uncanny-unsettling-world-of-shen-yun)
Wow that is great info I always wondered about it, thank you for the link .
Op didn't even bother to read first line in poster tho.
I expected weird, even young earth creationism weird, but not Karl Marx Tsunami weird.
[удалено]
Yeah, there’s a reason the CCP wasn’t happy with these guys lol. It’s a creepy cult. That said, capturing and killing the cultists isn’t exactly a good solution…
Actual wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falun_Gong
I linked RationalWiki for a reason, Wikipedia might as well be a sales pamphlet. RationalWiki is far better, no bullshit place to get insight into psuedo-science, cults and snake oil.
I trust Wikipedia much more than RationalWiki to be an impartial source. RationalWiki clearly has some biases and I suggest you critically examine them if you consider it a trustworthy source.
They do have a ton of sources and citations, plenty from the horses mouth itself (falun gong, epoch times, etc.). Wikipedia isn't impartial, it's a battleground of peoples opinions and things end up watered down and a-political. They state pretty strong bullshit, like " Falun Gong doctrine counsels against participation in political or social issues.[\[75\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falun_Gong#cite_note-75) Excessive interest in politics is viewed as an attachment to worldly power and influence, and Falun Gong aims for transcendence of such pursuits. According to Hu Ping, "Falun Gong deals only with purifying the individual through exercise, and does not touch on social or national concerns. It has not suggested or even intimated a model for social change. Many religions \[...\] pursue social reform to some extent \[...\] but there is no such tendency evident in Falun Gong."[\[76\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falun_Gong#cite_note-Ping-76)" Oh really? Then why the Epoch Times (a far right paper), why the huge donations to trump? why the "Communism before China" moniker on their alien ballet? For a a-political, organization that's a pretty bunk statement. Wikipedia is a bit too "middle of the road" for controversial content. RationalWiki is skewed towards rationalism and anti-woo, making them a better source for a realistic viewpoint on quackery/psuedoscience and cults.
I've never used RationalWiki but under the section for `Views on homosexuality` this is the entry >According to a letter to the editor of the San Francisco News Sentinel in 2006 written by a man who claimed to be the son of Falun Gong practitioners, the movement also teaches that "homosexuality is not the standard of being human, the priority of Gods will be to eliminate homosexuals and that gays are demonic in nature." Other postings on the internet echo this. You can't expect someone to believe Falun Gong is a homophobic organization because on a letter to the editor can you? The citation doesn't actually link to the San Francisco News Sentinel. It links to a website called Daily Kos which links to `www.rickross.com`. It's not even a credibly sourced letter to the editor. I don't know much about Falun Gong save from my Dad likes Epoch Times so it's probably nutty but this link as you present it has serious credibility issues.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20191208210047/https://gb.falundafa.org/chigb/hongyin.htm#68](https://web.archive.org/web/20191208210047/https://gb.falundafa.org/chigb/hongyin.htm#68) From the rational-wiki references, to Falun Dafa's stuff, translate to english. Yes, anti-gay, anti-race mixing are all part of the doctrine. Yes, this is allegedly writings from the leader of Falun Gong (from their servers). **world evil** People have no good thoughts and everyone is an enemy,destroying traditional culture, decadence, same-sex desires, and dark demons, gambling anddrugs, doing whatever they want. Ruthless Religion Evil Turns Money into Politicians July 7, 1998
It's funny, I used to be fairly sympathetic to the whole "persecuted by the CCP" narrative they had going, with the protests in front of the consulate on Granville and all, but they've really managed to wear that away in the years since. The constantly returning (it's not a "once in a lifetime experience" it comes back regularly on its endless tour back and forth across North America, I've seen the same ad for different cities at different times of year, you can't fool me stupid ad) Shen Yun ads have only added to that.
Hard to say which is worse, but they absolutely both suck.
CCP worse.. CCP puts them in concentration camps. I'm sure they're as nutty as a Mormon-Scientology mix.. But only one has a police state at their disposal.
They are no closer to knowing how to feel about Shen Yun
It said Rick Ross was a member and I got extremely excited, but alas it was a different Rick Ross
Beijing can't punish Canada on the world stage. We're a sovereign country.
They usually do this by "encouraging" their citizens to boycott Canadian products as well as unlawfully imprisoning Canadians who reside in China and holding them hostage.
Hahahahahaha.. Of course they can, and they have, same with the US... Trade wars, candidate financing on both sides of the aisle, in both countries, diplomatic leverage. China may not always win, but definitely saying they don't is incorrect. Hollywood has to pass all their films through China's censors or they want anything to be screened in China. It's a huge market to neglect.
China cannot come into Canada to punish civilians, full stop.
Lol.. That's limited thinking.. There are far many ways to punish a country.. Canada punishes many countries through trade, and economic and political channels, with never stepping a foot in the other nation.
If you believe this, you strongly underestimate the CCP. If the CCP didn't support this show, it wouldn't exist.
Have a read: https://www.shenyunperformingarts.org/spirituality/challenges-we-face
On the Shen Yun website? 🤡 Take it in ....
If you think the Communist Party of China runs an anti communist dance show, I don't even know what to tell you.
 if you think intelligence on enemies is more important than what foreigners think about you, then it could be a good way to track your enemies (i don’t actually believe FG is run by CCP)
the CCP aren't exactly communists are they?
They might not be, but they definitely wouldn't approve of this poster
Regardless of your position on the politics of the current government, when the poster says "China before communism" they mean China before the Communist party became the government. It's an anti CPC program.
CCP haven’t really been ideologically communist for decades, they’ve just co-opted the title while being just another far right nation similar the Soviet Union back in the day.
Why the downvotes? The CCP use the title of communism but they are nothing of the sort. They are a capitalist dictatorship. Sometimes redditors make little sense. The CCP are not communists, I was being rhetorical.
It's not that it's incorrect, it's that it's not really relevant. CPP's power is partially built on at least the *illusion* of communism and that ideal - openly allowing something that criticizes something so central is a threat to their ideological stranglehold. The first part of what you say is the point - they use the *title* of communism. And now that they do, they are compelled to interpret criticism of that title as criticism of themselves - especially when it is explicitly criticism of the CPP as in Shen Yun. And we know how the CCP feels about criticism. Hence the downvotes - because whether CCP's actual practice is correctly communist or not isn't that important to the point of how they would relate to the message of Falun Gong. It'd be kind of like a show openly criticizing democracy as a concept touring the United States. Politicians would mostly condemn it, because the US is founded on a cornerstone of democracy as a concept - even if its' current implementation could be argued not to be a true democracy. Of course, the U.S. isn't totalitarian in the same way, so the government isn't quite as compelled to combat that sort of messaging.
it kind of is relevant though when the title is what hides the true nature of the CCP, however weakly. the Falun Gong group here use the term as an obvious proxy to the real Winnie the Poo group. ie. before the Assholes took over. Not sure either group has a handle on truth as they drink their own brands of koolaid. Truth is though that the CCP kill and harm Uighurs and other non Han classed people so in this it seems Falun Gong get a pass as it raises the masses awareness that the CCP is full of it. The CCP seem to care to want to be seen as 'good guys' i guess, even when I am sure most know they are not. They aren't as Isolated as North Korea and can't get away with as much without having to pull out the army of wumaos. Probably closer to a touring play about US Senators taking bribes to ignore gun issues like their average of 10 mass murders a week. The government would be compelled to react to that since it's a little too much truth that they are currently allowed (by the populace) to get away with for some strange reason.
From my understanding, FALUN DAFA is a political group masked as a religious group and is actively campaigning against the CCP. Hence you can see the “China before communism” at the top of that poster. I wouldn’t touch this group or the related Shen Yun events with a 10-foot pole. Too politically charged for the average citizen just looking to enjoy an artistic event.
Actually the other way around. It’s a cult at its core but happens to be anti-CCP due to persecution.
They were a non political religious organization?
I don’t think they were until the CCP basically declared war on them around 1999.
Really. What was the CCP reasoning? I mean I am sure it is all lies.
They got too big and influential. Only reason CCP needs. The trigger though was they organized a massive protest (not sure why) and surrounded the governmental block. CCP got pretty spooked and massively cracked down.
so when I google it you won't seem full of shit?
Eh go ahead. There’s a ton of misinformation on this so good luck.
Before I do. Does this religion preach that true believers don't need medicine?
Maybe instead, you should Google sealioning.
Might be a bit more nuisanced than that but they do preach the importance of natural immunity and the effect of spirituality on it. Source: I watched their official channel for a few months when it was free (it had some interesting takes on what was happening in China)
"before I waste fifteen seconds googling a thing, I'll wait many hours for someone to reply"
There was a time in the 80s-90s where qigong, a type of exercise/meditation (think: yoga-ish), was heavily promoted in China as a sort of pseudo healthy past time. Falun Gong simply became one of the leading sects of qigong and the leader shaped the organization into a cult. Eventually the CCP cracked down on them and they retorted by claiming persecution. By the way, if it's not obvious, most people in this thread calling out Falun Gong isn't really supporting the CCP. I imagine that they'd act the same way if Scientology somehow took hold in China.
Best summary so far. It's basically scientology with Chinese characteristics.
This would be like saying the Canadian government ran the *'Freedom convoy'. I understand where you're coming from, but you're kinda showing everyone that you're completely misinformed about whats happening if you think this is correct. *edited to change 'Trucker' to 'Freedom'
freedom convoy
Falun Gong is a crazy right wing conspiracy, but they are actually vehemently anti-CCP. They want to go back to authoritarian monarchy instead of authoritarian pseudo-Communism.
Yes, they are huge Trump supporters. Last US election, they kept posting conspiracies about how Biden stole the election on Chinese web media.
The only thing that is wrong is that the Falun Gong and associated orgs are ran by the CPC. While the Falun Gong are opposed by the CPC they are also somewhat a doomsdayish anti homosexual racist cult that just happens to be anti communist.
Also anti science and anti medicine... Anti everything is kind of their thing
Not anti everything. They were strongly pro-Trump. They were his biggest supporter on Facebook in 2016. Their "Epoch Time" once surpass New York Times subscription (for a week) on Apple's app store.
One day someone dropped the Epoch Times at my door step and it’s very much pro Trump and anti-science. It also talked about Bill Gates wanted to chip everyone.
Forgive the naive question - I want to learn - is Falun Gong and Falun Dafa the same organization? (If so, why two names? What are we missing, not speaking the language?) thx
Per their own website the names are interchangeable but they seem to perfer dafa since that is their .org website root name.
Xxx Gong is the Practice of xxx, like in gong Fu or kung Fu you get a wide range of xxx gong/kung. Xxx DaFa is directly translated as Grant Laws of xxx or the Great xxx Rules. So they're interchangeable in the sense that both refers to mastery of certain skills, but DaFa usually describes a practice with significant, grant use or impact or results. But funny thing is DaFa is usually used in fiction or by cults. If I look up dafa, it is now flg has completely taken over this keyword. You won't be able to find other dafas, unless u know their full titles by heart like I do. ex. Shaolin has their own dafas, and there are different dafas in wu-fi (wuxia fiction)
Falun Gong is the CCP opposition and they run Shen Yun. LoL
They oppose the CCP like the crazy lady with the sign yelling outside the paint factory.
When a racist both gets it wrong and right at the same time this is the result.
No, they are not funded by CCP, they hate one another. [They are a front for a cult that's being prosecuted by China](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mQ8plzWl9g), so both sides are assholes...
https://preview.redd.it/mfpe8i5kr3ma1.jpeg?width=896&format=pjpg&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=0762ddedc056056ff8761e2ed88f33ca05c1c393
Wow. That’s great. Want story now.
OP, how did you conclude that this graffiti was accurate?
I can neither confirm or deny but it seems like they got their acronym mixed up
Something something let them fight
let em cook lol
I'm grabbing the popcorn
Funny thing is that the CCP was cool with Falun Gong in their early years, but decided to cut ties due to how culty they ended up being. Shen Yun isn't even "traditional" in Chinese culture before communism, with the dances being more like some weird ballet. If you want China before communism, look at Taiwan.
based. also am i the only one who hates not just calling 'China' and Taiwan both China?
Eh, it's like saying "I'm taking a vacation to Puerto Rico " means the same as "I'm taking a trip to the US". Sure by the law it's apart of the US but it's so self-contained that it might aswell be something else.
As others have noted, the writer is completely wrong. The Falun Dafa movement is a cult that was persecuted by the CCP inside China because it grew too big and was seen as a threat to their rule. After much persecution etc, most of them fled to the USA and their base is huge in the Greater NYC area, where their Epoch Times propaganda newspaper is based. The Shen Yun ballet is their global money maker machine to further their anti-CCP campaign.
I want a tv show where instead of nazis winning ww2 and controls america, falungong takes over china and starts ww3.
“The man in the high castle” is very close of what you are looking for.
Really doubt the communist party would be pushing anti-communist propaganda this hard but maybe that’s just me.
Here's what I got when asking for a refund to the show... Message: Hi, I recently ordered tickets for the show in Vancouver. Although I see that there are no refunds, I am respectfully requesting one. I did not realize this was associated with Falun Gong. Dear Dan, Thank you for your order for our show tickets, and also got your request for refund due to the misunderstanding on 'Falun Gong' issue. We are sorry to hear this, and want to explain more details to you on this. As you may know, the mission of our company is to revive traditional Chinese culture. What most people don’t realize is just how profoundly spiritual that culture really is. The entire Chinese civilization was founded on a rich cosmology that emphasized a harmonious interplay between heaven, man, and earth. The ancient text Yi Jing, or Book of Changes states, “The visible and tangible is just a container, the invisible and intangible is the Tao.” It is this invisible spiritual essence that drives the Chinese worldview and moral philosophy, and it has enriched classical Chinese language, arts, and literature for thousands of years. To talk about traditional Chinese culture without understanding its spiritual underpinnings would be like talking about ancient Greece while neglecting the Olympian Gods. Without this understanding and this context, the art and literature of those societies simply wouldn’t make much sense. Ancient civilizations of both East and West believed that conduct was right or wrong based whether it disrupted the “natural” order and pleased or displeased the gods. Divine beings were believed to have regularly made their presence felt, be they in the form of angels, fairies, or deities. Most people couldn’t actually see them, of course, so they looked to omens and the weather for signs. It was left to the artists to attempt to portray the immortals and their interactions with man. And so artists were a big part of keeping the ancient stories alive. The story of the Chinese civilization is particularly long and rich. It took a dramatic turn about six decades ago when the communist regime took over. The story suddenly became one of destruction – the destruction of China’s fundamental values and traditions. The ideology of the Chinese Communist Party was and still is strictly atheist, which means that anyone who believes otherwise becomes an enemy of the state. This is why during Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution, scholars and the cultural elite were denounced, and millions of innocent people were killed. Classic books and music were banned, ancient artwork was burned, sacred statues were smashed, and monks and nuns were forced to marry each other. The assault on traditional values did not end with the Cultural Revolution in the 1970s, though. It just became more hidden, more sophisticated, and more insidious over the years. As you may know, people of faith—be they House Christian or Tibetan Buddhist—continue to persecuted in the People’s Republic of China even today. One group stands out just in sheer numbers: the practitioners of Falun Dafa. They are now the largest group of prisoners of conscience in the world. And it’s just because their traditional principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance run counter to the Party’s ideology of political struggle. Theirs is a peaceful meditation practice of the Buddha School. The virtues they attempt to cultivate in themselves are universal to all humankind. And yet, hundreds of thousands of them are still illegally incarcerated and tortured in the Chinese prison system. The reason that the Communist Party is persecuting Falun Dafa today is the same reason it tried to destroy traditional Chinese beliefs during the Cultural Revolution and is the same reason it opposes Shen Yun. Falun Dafa is rooted in ancient Chinese culture and its ideas like spiritual elevation and reverence for the Divine. Traditional culture, Falun Dafa, and Shen Yun all revolve around the same core values of this spiritual culture; presenting Falun Dafa on stage is one way in which Shen Yun represents this traditional culture. The two dance pieces set in China today about the persecution of Falun Dafa is their depiction of a tragic episode in modern-day Chinese history. It is also an expression of the artists’ hope that goodness will ultimately prevail. The choreographers and directors are doing what artists do—interpreting and conveying things that they find meaningful and moving. Would we fault a medieval painter for expressing his sorrow over the martyrdom of a beloved saint? Or a Jewish writer for recounting the horrors of the concentration camps? We wouldn’t, partially because these examples of persecution are already familiar to us. There may be those who claim that this kind of subject matter is inappropriate or somehow political. But to do so would be to miss the point and to deny some rather significant events in history that have shaped the West in countless ways. At Shen Yun, we believe that true art must go beyond entertainment. Ideally, it should speak to us, expand our horizons, even provoke and test us, and eventually enlighten us. The ancient Chinese believed that to create art worthy of the heavens, there must first be inner beauty and purity. Today, Shen Yun’s performers strive to follow this lofty tradition. They practice meditation, and they work extremely hard, bringing a sincerity to their performance that I think you can see in their smiles. They are truly performing for the audience, sharing the best of ancient traditions with the world. Many audience members leave the theater saying they feel uplifted, perhaps reassured that even as we go about our ordinary lives, if our hearts are in the right place, the divine may not be so far away. I hope this addresses some of your concerns and sheds some light on rather complex issues. The Chinese civilization is vast and, as everywhere, its history is still being played out today. We welcome any other ideas or suggestions you may have about how we can better express what we are trying to convey. Our policy is to be open about who we are and what we do: our materials state that our show is about reviving traditional Chinese culture, and we also mention Falun Dafa’s role in the performance. To find out more, please check out our website for an entire section on related topics: http://www.shenyun.com/spirituality/challenges-we-face Thank you again for reaching out to us. I hope you understand what our show is, and will change your mind about it, especially 'a Falun Gong show'. In addition, when you purchase tickets, you already agreed the non-refundable policy. For the performing arts industry, it is the normal rule for every show tickets. But I believe you will definitely enjoy and appreciate our show, go to experience it without any hesitation. Warmest regards, G TL;DR Bought tix for Shen Yun. Found out they were affiliated with Falun Gong and asked for a refund. They said "No" in a very long winded manner.
Falan gong, epoch times, China uncensored / new Tang dynasty is a group that's just insidiously evil.
This reminds me of UBC student essays that have a strong thesis but fall apart at the conclusion.
Can someone please respectfully explain this controversy? I have thought about seeing this but I have seen that it is controversial and I would like to know why? I’m white and born and raised here so I do not want to sound ignorant. I want to be educated about this. Thx
To add on to /u/cosmic_16 , although it's true that the Falun Gong have suffered by CCP persecution, they're also quite cult-like in their beliefs (think Scientology) and have allied themselves with US far right groups. They also run the Epoch Times, which although is anti-CCP, is rife with propaganda. I'm biased against the CCP as a Taiwanese-Canadian and in this case, the enemy of my enemy is certainly not my friend.
Falun Gong is a religious group / anti-CCP organization based in the US and ex-Chinese. They're behind probably all the protests in Vancouver against the CCP (except for the Taiwanese ones maybe) and really, really hate the CCP. They are the political opposition to the CCP. My mother once called Falun Gong "a bunch of crazy idiots" (not exact translation) but she was raised under CCP, so not exactly most reliable source. \- an equally confused asian
Thank you. I really wanted to understand this but I don’t want to offend people either so I am glad I could ask in a way that wasn’t disrespectful
Wait? There was a Taiwanese protest again CCP? Did I miss a free bendon? (Yes, Taiwanese won't join a political event unless there is free lunch.
#From the Wikipedia Article on Shen Yun: Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by Chinese expatriate adherents of **Falun Gong**, and is based at Falun Gong's 427-acre (1.73 km2) Dragon Springs compound in Deerpark, New York, northwest of New York City, near where the new religious group's leader and founder, Li Hongzhi, and many of his followers also reside. ... **Shen Yun performances have received criticism for promoting sectarian doctrines and negative views toward evolution, atheism, and homosexuality.** ... The group is promoted by The Epoch Times, a far-right media outlet affiliated with Falun Gong. --- #From the Wikipedia Article on Falun Gong: Falun Gong was founded by its leader Li Hongzhi in China in the early 1990s. ... All sexual relations outside the confines of monogamous, heterosexual marriage are regarded as immoral. ... **Li Hongzhi taught that homosexuality makes one "unworthy of being human", creates bad karma, and is comparable to organized crime.** He also taught that "disgusting homosexuality shows the dirty abnormal psychology of the gay who has lost his ability of reasoning". Li additionally stated in a 1998 speech in Switzerland that "gods' first target of annihilation would be homosexuals." ... Falun Gong's cosmology includes the belief that different ethnicities each have a correspondence to their own heavens, and that **individuals of mixed race lose some aspect of this connection.** --- #TL;DR Shen Yun is propaganda for a cult (Falun Gong) that believes gay people aren't worthy of being human and that people of mixed races are somehow less holy than others. **Please don't financially support them, there are many better shows out there that don't use your money to fund homophobic, racist, bigoted cults.**
Wow ok. I get it now. I would not support any org that discriminates thank you!!
You're welcome! the advertisements make it look like a nice innocent cultural event with music and dancing lol so a lot of people just see the posters and don't think anything of it. I recommend checking out [this very well-written article](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/stepping-into-the-uncanny-unsettling-world-of-shen-yun) by someone who attended the event first hand if you are at all interested in learning more.
Shen Yun may be fake folk-iness, but there's no way the CCP is in any way involved. The steps CCP goes to to defame, discredit and spread disinformation are truly legendary, it's sad to see how little people recognize this or care about it. Anyways, I'm off to complain about alt right russian troll bot nazis on twitter.
How did Falun Dafa went from a cult disvowed by the CCP to funded by CCP???
So when I was taking out my recycling the other day, this Chinese Man was walking door to door handing fliers for this event out and putting them on front doors. Since i was outside, he forced this into my hand. I said no and he obviously did not speak English. I saw another Chinese woman across the street leaving it on my neighbor’s door. He didn’t understand when I tried to give it back, so when he walked away, I put it in my paper recycling. They are really trying to push this.
When I was in Highschool, they had old aunties in Metrotown targeting Asian Highschool kids for soliciting their personal information so that they can add your name to the “X millions quit the CCP” count.
As much as the CCP sucks, Falun gong is a Freakshow
While it is run by an extremist right wing cult, it's not affiliated with the Chinese Goverment
I’m Chinese and I refer to this as a cult just cause how they advertise themselves. Guess I was right lol
Isn't this a cult ?
Epoch Times were big conservative supporters in the 2010's, they were printing anti liberal propaganda in tight ridings with large Chinese population.
This is a good example of racists not caring what kind of Chinese person you are. Good reminder to folks who think it's enough to identify as Canadian to protect them against xenophobia.
Been saying this for ages and I just get slapped with a "bUt RaCiSm DoEsNt ExIsT aNyMoRe" as a minority myself.
Shen Yun, yikes. They're cultists basically. Not affiliated with the Chinese government though.
The whole thing is designed as anti-China propaganda lol. The Epoch Times is a far-right evangelical rag that hates the shit out of the CCP. Some lib mixed up their anti-evangelical outrage with their trying-to-start-a-war-with-China talking points.
I'm actually curious are they far right or so far left they appear far right. From what I heard was they are essentially the original red guard /cultural revolution descendents that felt betrayed by the currency CCP... Aka not fucking commie enough. The only thing I can tell is they are a super hard on full hatred for the current CCP and would spew any lies and brainwashing they can, at any cost to bring down the CCP. Super scary group if their core cult isn't such a goddamn Freakshow.
The Epoch Times literally ran free ads for Trump and publishes QAnon shit. They are very much in bed with the far right.
Aaaah ok, all I know is they're fucked up nutso and at the extreme it's often hard to tell.
Falun Gong based program, Winston did a video on this a few years ago.
Nice to see a fellow fan
I've learned a lot about China from their various channels. Great stuff.
not a perfect source, those two, but good for another perspective/direction when trying to make sense of the Winnie the Poo stories
Link?
https://youtu.be/7tsXtk7psUc
No thanks, I’d rather watch Shao-Lin monks kick each other in the nuts.
It’s not run by ccp I thought
Weird. I never knew these dance shows had anything to do with cngov or flg. I've been told falongong is a big evil cult from china and did crazy things back there etc but I remained skeptic until I was approached last year by one believer at the crystal mall. This old lady sneaked behind me as I enjoy my food and she asked if I am Chinese then tried to brainwash me if I believe in falongong I will be covid-proof. Fucking crazy shit. I ran away and did not return for months. 
Lol but it says China 🇨🇳 before communism?? 🤪😂🤦♂️
Kinda shocked to see them advertised right at the entrance of the Bay in Richmond Center.
I saw very similar messages written on some stairs in Calgary. They claimed the same thing about it being pro CCP and a cult
“China before communism” - yeah this sure sounds like the CCP
JJ McCullough (from New West) did a [video](https://youtu.be/1JaPzJKycxc) on this a few years ago.
Is the art of the show at least worth the watch? Like, let's assume I'm completely immune to what they are peddling and I take it as a story of complete fiction... Is it entertain? Does the dancing stand as its own work? Are the artists impressive at least? Or would I be better off seeing a circus show (and I've seen a few, and they are usually pretty fun)!
Someone please get me a free ticket to this show so I can take mushrooms beforehand
I heard there’s a musical number depicting a forced abortion. I’d avoid the mushrooms.
Forced abortion, organ harvesting re-enactments, and a giant tsunami with evil Marx’s head. This show is a wild ride for sure.
如果佢真係法輪功，而被人誤會係中國共產黨，對唔住，我笑到郁唔到！ It’s so hilarious that if it’s done by Falun Gong but mistaken as CCP!
Anything Asian that you don’t like is CCP China’s fault. That’s the logic for some people.
Might want to learn the intricacies of Falun Dafa & its history with CCP first before start vandalizing public properties. Anything with mandarin words in it doesnt have to have CCP ties all the time.
Omg whoever wrote this is just hating on Chinese people and grouping them together
I so want to watch Shen Yun, but I will never pay a $100+ to watch this.
Clueless boomers
This runs in Toronto too, I heard it is “banned in China” so wtf is all the hate about? Give it a rest. Plenty of other reasons to despise China, this isn’t one of them.
I thought this show had ties to folks in anti-communist Taiwan.
Minor correction: the show has ties to anti-communist "religious" (more of a cult akin to Scientology) folks, the Falun Gong, which has cultists/worshippers in areas all over the world (including Taiwan).
It’s connected to the National Endowment for Democracy, the arm of the CIA that doesn’t train death squads.
Lol.. It is propaganda, but it's actually anti-ccp.. Lol.. And CCP actually persecutes Falun Dafa and puts them in concentration camps.
They are not CCP affiliated. The CCP literally commies mass genocide on these individuals and harvests their organs lmao
Cuz they got true unvaxxed blood... I mean un-medicated organs.
Lmao the horseshoe theory is becoming reality
Oh well, shit happens to everything. Do people just cry around now adays?
ITT - CCP Shills, Useful idiots, and 50 cent army trolls.
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Yup. And if you truly believe you can stop taking life saving medicine. Oh, those people that died did not truly believe. They should have not cheaped out and paid for the next level up. Shame.
No they shouldn't be respected, Falun Gong is no different than western cults. The preach extremely dangerous beliefs to their followers, as well as promoting disinformation using their media wing the Epoch Times. They promote genuinely homophobic and racist ideas. If I had a penny for every hack that told me to be kind I would be rich. They can still say a bare minimum nugget of truth while also being monsters.
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We can ignore them promoting Qanon conspiracies and anti-vaxx stuff on their own operated media wings, IE Epoch times and New tang TV. You can also ignore that Li Hongzhi literally said in his own lecture, his own words that gay people are quote "unworthy of being human". He also said that race mixing causes human beings to become "a rootless people". Again his own words that the falun gong do not deny and instead say on their official website "this is good actually" in PR speak. Also please critically think about the things that the say, and don't mistake criticism of them as being Chinese propaganda, that is actual silly behavior when the Falun gong as an organization also puts out their own far-right propaganda via the Epoch Times and New Tang TV. You don't have to like the falun gong because they also dislike the CCP.
If homophobic and racism is your definition of truth, kindness and peaceful, sure.
Reddit is all kinds of weird but this tops it. Agenda? People in Vancouver involved in Chinese cinema and politics like they have an actual valid opinion is like white Americans speaking on African things in the U.S without any prior knowledge. Just cause there’s a lot of African Americans doesn’t mean the people of America have a clue about the African modern culture/history. Same goes for Vancouver, why on earth are all these random nobodies sticking their long noses in the the business or China/Chinese. ……simple answer ..same as us Americans. It gets the clicks! Your media gives you more info on China than your actual province. Strange city / post….
Where do you think this advertisement is located?
You guys are the strangest bunch of American top hats I’ve encountered, there’s no getting wrong crack on every corner, and every second person with a Herschel hat. Must be Vancouver, Seattles twisted sister.
Anyone been to Shen Yun? I see ads for it constantly but have never spoken to anyone who has been.
crazy people write crazy crap everywhere
When your brand new Magnum Sharpie is bigger than your brain.
I remember when I was in grade 2 or 3 in China, the local government sent a police officer to our school to do a "educational summer camp" in the hottest day of July. I was a kid that had no idea about what a "cult" even was, and I sit there spending whole morning listening to the officer talking about "never trust Falun Gong", "if you see them, report to the police immediately", shit like that. Until years later I found Epoch Times and NTD TV, I realized that they are just a bunch of lunatics that are essentially the same as crazy CCP supporters but with opposite opinions lol
All religions are essentially long term cults and are also anti-government at their core. From the outside, even atheists think Christianity is a giant cult, and Christian’s think Muslim’s are out to lunch. At this point it’s a constant info war between political and religious groups, all of them spinning yarns to win over the hearts and minds of their target group.
That is one of the biggest antiCCP originations
Actually Shen Yun is anti CCP, do your research. They have historical inaccuracies that are in conflict with CCP Chinese history. Thats why there is no Shen Yun in China. The show is an entry point for the falun dafa to spread their ideas.
Lol Falun Gong is most certainly NOT ran by the CCP, they are rabidly anti-communist. They are a racist cult that doesn’t believe in interracial marriage or mixed race children though, so don’t support them either way.
I wonder if this person thinks Trump is friends with CCP. As well.