I went to New York to see Divine Performing Arts' Chinese New Year Splendor (Splendor) last weekend. After I left Radio City Music Hall, I came across two ladies and we chatted for quite a while. One of them, Ms. Marvi Weigensberg, the manager of 'The Joy of Music,' told me that what she used to understand about China was limited to merely Chinese cuisine, but after seeing Splendor she has come to love Chinese history, philosophy and values.
It reminded me of the view most foreigners have about China: Most people think of China as a 'world factory,' a manufacturer of cheap commodities in huge cities filled with rows upon rows of skyscrapers possessing high risk business opportunities and a heavy disparity between the rich and poor. This is the economic facet of China.
Of course, many others know that China is under a communist regime that is notorious for media censorship, human rights violations, internal power struggles, corruption and an unjust judicial system. This is the political facet of China that most foreigners see.
Culture is the third facet of China that is often misunderstood. Many Westerners tend to love Chinese cuisine, and are often amazed by things like the Terracotta Army, the Great Wall of China, the Palace Museum, traditional Chinese calligraphy, curios, antiques and even Chinese characters. However, these things are a far cry from genuine, authentic Chinese culture.
Things you can see and touch are nothing more than material items. The essence of a culture is something that is invisible and intangible. Since the Chinese communist regime seized the power, it has trampled Chinese culture, and what people have seen are nothing more than surface expressions. The essence of China's culture has been completely trashed and sabotaged.
When seeing Divine Performing Arts' Chinese New Year Splendor , if we look at the splendid dancing, gorgeous costumes, magnificent backdrops and the touching musical performances, we are still simply looking at the superficial side of the culture. The underlying virtues of respecting Gods, valuing morality, standing up for your beliefs, and the spirit of loyalty and filial piety are the true essence of Chinese culture that the performance really intends to demonstrate to its audience. This is the fundamental reason why the Chinese regime has failed to produce a similar show even though it has mobilized all of its resources.
A most unique and defining aspect of Chinese culture is that it differentiates a person's nationality not by bloodline, but instead by their culture. In other words, even a person with blonde hair or a Caucasian may be accepted as a part of the Chinese nation as long as he or she acknowledges and conforms to Chinese culture. On the contrary, if one is ignorant of Chinese history and tramples on traditional Chinese culture, then even if they speak Mandarin and can write Chinese characters, he or she will still be classified as a foreigner. In Confucianism, this practice is called "distinction between Chinese and foreigners."
For information on all upcoming shows, please visit: http://www.DivinePerformingArts.org/
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Chinese New Year Splendor.
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