The first live performance of the 2006 NTDTV Chinese New Year Global Gala will be held in Boston in less than a month. Renowned Chinese tenor Guan Guimin and his wife will be performing. In an interview with The Epoch Times , Mr. Guan spoke about the moral climate in China and the impact on China's artists in particular.
Mr. Guan is concerned about the rapid decline of moral standards in Chinese society. When he lived in China, Guan associated with the class of celebrities who lived in the western district of Beijing, an area known for its rich cultural events. Although celebrities lead a better life than common people, most of them lack a sense of security. Female artists are particularly vulnerable. If they are pretty and become well-known, they have to find someone to protect them politically and financially. Otherwise, when they perform outside of Beijing, local authorities will cheat them.
The moral atmosphere in China is very bad, and everyone is affected. According to Guan, people do not even realize their morality is declining. When he was in China, he felt depressed and didn't understand what was wrong. After he left the country, he realized that in China people's minds are suppressed and their thoughts confined. Even if you are rich in China, there is still no freedom of expression.
Guan explains, "Human thoughts are like water. They take on the shape of the container. If they are put in the brain of an animal, you will become an animal. If you stay in that form for long, you may not feel happy if you are treated as a human. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) forces the Chinese people to get used to being brainwashed with the party culture. It is very difficult to change the culture, and after some time you may even be willing to sing its praises."
Mr. Guan spoke about the artist Mei Lanfang, a famous performing artist of the Beijing Opera who refused to perform for the invading Japanese army during the Anti-Japanese War. The artists of Mei's generation had strength of character. Even so, few had the character to refuse to yield to the brutality of the Chinese communists.
It saddens Guan that some artists sing songs that praise the Chinese Communist Party without realizing what they are doing. The songs Guan sang when he was in China, written and composed by others, all praised the CCP.
Guan said that most of the artists in his own circle are very good people. However, the CCP's brainwashing starts in early childhood. Like grass forced to grow in the cracks of a rock, a person's development is distorted and his thoughts are poisoned by the propaganda.
After he left China, Mr. Guan became aware of the evil nature of the CCP. He tried to communicate with his friends, but he found that talking to people who had lived under the CCP's system for so many years was like talking to people from another world.
Since practicing Falun Gong, Mr. Guan enjoys a clear state of mind and a strong body. He says the most significant change is that he has a clearer understanding of life. He knows how to live a meaningful life, how to become a good person, and how to improve himself.
Some of his old friends told him that he has been "brainwashed" by Falun Gong." In response, Mr. Guan said that cultivating himself according to the principles of Falun Gong has thoroughly cleaned away the dirty things in his mind, products of his upbringing under the CCP, and he feels that he has been purified. This purifying of one's mind through self-cultivation is the antithesis of the forced brainwashing, indoctrination, and coercion carried out by the CCP.
Gu Wan, a fan of Mr. Guan's, said, "Mr. Guan has high achievements in the field of the performing arts. He also has a deeper understanding of life and humanity and upholds high moral standards. The kind of music a person pursues shows his character. I believe that there is a close relationship between music and morality. Only when an artist has attained a high level of morality, will his music be superior. A singer who has high moral standards can make a song more beautiful."
Many Chinese-language radio and TV stations have expressed an interest in interviewing Mr. Guan but backed off after learning that he practices Falun Gong. Some media that did interview him, didn't publish the interview. Mr. Guan explained, "The CCP appears formidable, and its black hands reach everywhere. As a result, many overseas' Chinese are still afraid of the CCP even though they have lived abroad for many years. They are afraid that their family members will be affected, that they will not be able to go back to visit their relatives and friends, or that their businesses in China will be affected."
Although many of Guan's friends are US citizens now, they still fear the CCP. The Chinese government doesn't allow people to criticize it and doesn't respect human life. Guan said that the CCP threatened his relatives in China. The Chinese Consulate also made threatening calls to him after his performance with other artists who practice Falun Gong. He replied to the agents, "What on earth are you afraid of?" Despite threats and attempted blackmail, Guan said he was not afraid. He believes that righteousness overcomes evil in the end. "If you are brave and not afraid of it, it can't do anything to you."
Mr. Guan said that overseas Chinese don't have to be afraid of the Chinese consulates. The people in the consulates are just tools who are being used by the CCP. When they finish their terms of service, their lives become miserable. When he was in Beijing, he spoke with some retired diplomats, some even at the deputy minister level. Many of them felt forgotten after they retired.
Mr. Guan enjoys a healthy and happy life. He joked, "I didn't need to do anything but sing in China. Now I have to do everything except singing." He said that life is a little hard now and making a living is not easy, but he feels happy and relaxed. He never had such a feeling in China. He said, "I feel I am leading an open and dignified life, one that I never had before."
On December 8, although the heavy after lunch snowfall left people in Chicago unprepared, the white snow in Chicago brought a holiday atmosphere and happiness to the coming Christmas and New Year. This holiday season people in Chicago now have one more expectation: the New Tang Dynasty TV (NTDTV) Chinese New Year Gala is going to play in Chicago. Once the news came out, the four hot lines for booking tickets began to receive telephone calls. The furthest call was from Minnesota, a state about a six-hour drive to Chicago.
Chicago's New Chinese Media TV station, the Epoch Times and the Sound of Hope Radio station, a branch of the Sound of Hope Radio network, have allied to hold a New Year Gala on February 4 in Arie Crown Theater. This gala will bring people the reappearance of mythology and legend.
The NTDTV Chinese New Year Gala successfully held Chinese New Year Galas in 2004 and 2005. The song "Passion for China" entranced many people. The great dances "Majestic Thunder" and "Buddha's Light Shines on Us" and other excellent programs captivated people.
No wonder that before the start of the New Year Gala in 2005, the Madison Square Garden in New York was exceptionally grand. A huge crowd of people was waiting for admission. There were also some people waiting outside in the cold air. That scene made people feel the aura of Chinese New Year.
The 2006 Chicago New Year Gala will include some of the excellent programs from the New York performances and some artists from the Chicago area. The performance will give you a wonderful memory in this cold winter season.
The telephone for booking tickets for the NTDTV Chinese New Year Gala in Chicago is 312-225-5120, 312-808-9410, 312-808-9469, 312-625-5666. The prices Gala tickets are $88, $68, $48, $28. In addition, for those groups that have more than ten people will have a preferential price. For details, please visit the website at: http://newyeargala.ntdtv.com. Book the tickets early and you will get the best seats.
The Epoch Times is proud to join with New Tang Dynasty T.V. and Sound of Hope Radio in co-sponsoring "Myths and Legends," NTDTV's Chinese New Year Global Gala. This article is one of a series meant to introduce this unique and important event.
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