February 6, 2008
Chinese New Year Show Is Surprise Falun Gong Agitprop
Maybe you've received a flier to see a show at Radio City Music Hall called Chinese New Year Splendor, which is promoted as a holiday celebration of China’s diverse cultural riches. But mixed within the traditional Mongolian dancing, orchestral music and Buddhist parables are dramatizations of the Chinese government’s oppression of Falun Gong, a qigong-based spiritual practice that is banned in China. And the show’s political content is prompting audiences to walk out by the hundreds.
The production, which costs between $58 to $280 per ticket, features a ballet in which three women are imprisoned by police, who kill one of them. Another number depicts Communist police officers bullying a mother and daughter carrying a banner with the Falun Gong message of “truthfulness, compassion and tolerance.”
At the show’s opening night, the Times spoke with several audience members who stormed out, claiming they felt deceived: “I don’t particularly like being accosted on the street by Falun Gong, and I don’t like it happening to me here,” said one. Another said his wife objected to the Falun Gong material; as for their three children, “It went right over their heads.” A Chinese immigrant visiting from Dallas walked out because she “didn’t like the torture stuff so much.”
The Chinese government, which does like the torture stuff, just not when it’s publicized, is predictably infuriated by the show, calling it “a sheer political tool used to spread cult and anti-China propaganda.” Falun Gong has gained a higher profile in recent years through dramatic public demonstrations calling attention to China’s brutal crackdown. Professor Maria Hsia Chang at the University of Nevada tells the Times she thinks the Radio City event “is kind of a P.R. front to try to normalize Falun Gong’s image, so that people don’t think of it as some kind of a wacko cult.” And they do this every year!
In 1999 the group’s founder, Li Hongzhi, told a Time magazine reporter that space aliens were corrupting mankind by teaching modern science. So it's pretty obvious what Chinese New Year Splendor really needs to keep the butts in seats: the invincible star power of Tom Cruise in the cast.
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This isn't news. The show is put on by NTDTV, which is associated with Falun Gong:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Tang_Dynasty_TV
Heck, the Chinese Embassy has even put out statements (not to be outdone when it comes to agitprop) about the NTDTV Chinese New Year show:
http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/zt/ppflg/t282595.htm
this was in nytimes.
I had wondered about this. I got a couple of the shows pamphlets handed to me and I initially thought it was Falun Gong but saw no mention of it in the flier. They are making pretty big bank if they can put on a Radio City show...
when I saw the show was sponsored by the Epoch Times, I knew it had something to do with FG.
Dude, you totally robbed this story and it's contents from the NY Times. You should be sued for plaigerism.
As the above readers have said, the connection between Falun Gong and this performance is no surprise: anyone who works in NYC is accustomed to seeing public displays of Falun Gong practices, along with mock torture demonstrations by FG members. The fliers for these performances are being distributed by the same people in the same locations. I assumed this was a FG production. Who would pay $280 to see even a legitimate dance performance, let alone a politically-motivated one?
Hey "Dude", notice the parts where I write "the Times spoke with..." or she "tells the Times"? Or the two links to the same Times article that are in my post? If you actually read it, you can see I made the source obvious to all but the most oblivious "reader." And none the text is copied without attribution.
Clearly from the NY Times article, it's not as obvious to those who bought tickets. There have been Chinese New Year shows in the past that weren't tied to Falun Gong, and the only way you would know in this instance if you looked on the marketing piece and saw that it was produced by NTDTV.
and Yakitori, maybe you don't understand how a blog works. It repurposes relevant information and stories from various news sources and consolidates them.
No, as long as there are links it's ok. Afterall, you would think that an outfit like Gothamist would know all the shortcuts and circumventions by now. Speaking of which, did anyone else catch that "filial piety" tidbit on BoingBoing from the other week? Totally hilarious and makes for some fine reading to usher in the New Year.
There ya go, enjoy, and a Gung Hay Bok Choy to everyone!
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/01/31/filial-piety-letting.html
great photography though
I didn't know they were that explicit with their falun gong stuff, I thought it was subliminal.
sort of interweaving their doctrines in story telling or "folk song and dance" if you will.
I had the bad luck of getting invited by family to see this show. We are not Chinese and some key parts of the show weren't translated. We were expecting a night of dance and music, but got this crappy propaganda piece with so-so dancing and the worst lyrics you're ever heard. A good chunk of the show consisted of solo singers belting out FG propaganda songs accompanied by a pianist.
I would have walked out too, if I could.
The show was far from a sell out. Half the seats were empty on a Friday. We were given great seats up front like so many others, so it didn't look so empty.
I hated this show. While I have sympathy for FG, because of the abuse they suffered from the Communists, after seeing this garbage, I might offer the torturers a ride to the prison.
I feel really bad for the people giving out the fliers, so I take them. But I think I'll be passing on the show.
i wanted to see this show & still would, but the ticket prices are way too high.
These guys were in the Brooklyn Costco peddling the show as well. Dunno how they managed to strike that deal.
Falun Gong or not, I thought the show was beautiful from start to finish. I've seen it twice and it gets better each time. The 3-d backdrop takes you to another world, the costumes are just magnificent and the high level of artistry is absolutely amazing. And most of those artists have won medals in international competitions, so I guess it's a question of taste, whether you like something or don't like something. Some people are proud to be Chinese after seeing the show which is free of communist content...so it's not surprising that some hard-core communists would be a bit restless about the show.
I also thing that the positive values and message of freedom in the show is a force for good and heard many people say how refreshing it is to have some substance in the performing arts. It's not an ordinary show it's an experience! Go see it if you can!
Falun Gong or not, I thought the show was beautiful from start to finish. I've seen it twice and it gets better each time. The 3-d backdrop takes you to another world, the costumes are just magnificent and the high level of artistry is absolutely amazing. And most of those artists have won medals in international competitions, so I guess it's a question of taste, whether you like something or don't like something. Some people are proud to be Chinese after seeing the show which is free of communist content...so it's not surprising that some hard-core communists would be a bit restless about the show.
I also think that the positive values and message of freedom in the show is a force for good and heard many people say how refreshing it is to have some substance in the performing arts. It's not an ordinary show it's an experience! Go see it if you can!
Why suddenly so disinterested in agitprop, Jen? Because it isn't based on "racism" like all the tripe you likely sucked down at Columbia? One person's agitprop is another's Law & Order I suppose.
I feel really bad for the people giving out the fliers, so I take them.
Jen, I certainly hope you offered a donation to ease their suffering.
Makina=plant
Makina:
Are you kidding?
There are millions of Chinese with productions free of communist control (Taiwan, Singapore, Flushing NY, ect). This was just so heavy handed. Not once, but TWICE, the Communist goons come on stage in black jeans, black shirts and black jackets (with the red sickle and hammer on the back, in case you really need to have it spelled out) to beat up the peaceful FG. While they didn't have long mustaches to twirl and laugh very loudly while they attacked, this might be in next years production. And did you like the many, many solo propaganda songs too? It's clear many (if not all) of the performers and "writers" are FG members and not the talented people we should expect at these ticket prices.
Maria Hsia Chang at the University of Nevada tells the Times she thinks the Radio City event “is kind of a P.R. front to try to normalize Falun Gong’s image, so that people don’t think of it as some kind of a wacko cult.”
Spoken like a true objective educator. I wonder what was the gist of Ms. Chang's book about the Falun Gong, given her coarse description of them.
Back to the show. Yes I got everything I was expecting from a fine performing arts show and a lot more than I expected: substance! This is why I'm going back to see it. I know a lot more about the Chinese heritage and how they respected Buddhas, Daos and Deities. The message of peace, justice and freedom are positive values resonated with me and lots of other people from looking at the rave reviews. The message is most powerful considering how Beijing is famous for oppressing its own people. Happy Chinese New Year!
Makina's post history is 3... ALL TODAY.
Get that propaganda troll outta here. At least you could've made it sound less obvious!
jaja,
what is your point?
Makina, word to the wise: when someone calls you a propaganda troll, you generally want to deny it, not passively admit to it but challenge why they're calling you on it.
"It's clear many (if not all) of the performers and "writers" are FG members and not the talented people we should expect at these ticket prices."
I saw this show online with a Chinese Family and some chinese friends who are not Falun Gong practitioners. They all mentioned that everyone in Mainland China knows of Gaun Guamin. He is probably one of the most famous singers in China for the last 2 decades. The same situation exist with Bai Xue who also sang in the show. According to the PRC own statistics in 1998 100 million people where practicing Falun Gong. The CCP even helped to promote Falun Gong because of it's health benifits...
So is it really hard to believe that since 1 in 12 people in China were at one time practicing peacefully and now for almost a decade thier closes friends, family, spouses, etc. are being tortured to death and having thier organs harvested. (http://organharvestinvestigation.net) that they not speak out about. These people are singing and dancing, the most deep expressions of themselves, sharing with the audience the most intimate and scared part of thier heart. So what is troubling people these people?
As for talent, these artist are a section of the Chinese population, or to rephrase that statement "It's clear many (if not all) of the performers and "writers" are Jews and not the talented people we should expect at these ticket prices." how does that sound?
The people who have posted on this blog should be ashamed of themselves and are giving a voice to hatred and persecution. I am deeply ashamed for all of you, your behavior and statements can't even be-called humane, or for that matter human
Welcome to the world of internet commenters, Ashley1. Don't take them too seriously - everyone's a bad-ass behind their veil of anonymity. And thanks for the link. Disturbing, to say the least.
Hi Dan, I didn't think I was admitting to anything other than the fact that I don't mind repeating everything that I've said already. It's the best show I've ever seen, etc. Call it propaganda if you like or whatever...it doesn't bother me at all. It's just an opinion.
John, while NTDTV's affiliation with Falun Gong isn't a secret, would you be suprised to find out our tax dollars paid for this show?
In addition to receiving financial support from various Falun Dafa Associations, Falun Gong media including NTDTV have also received funding from faction of US Congress that’s considered “Blue Team” China hawks.
Most notably The Friends of Falun Gong, a quasi-government organization started by Congressman Tom Lanto’s wife, Annette Lantos, and operated by Ambassador Mark Palmer, one of the co-founders of NED:
http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2001/134/145/2001-134145670-1-9.pdf (page 4, list of directors)
FoF’s non-profit filings over the years show that millions were given to various Falun Gong media outlets:
http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2005/134/145/2005-134145670-028e40ed-9.pdf
John, the "orga harvesting" allegation Ashely, whom I suspect is a Falun Gong disciple, has been discredited:
- Most recently by the Ottawa Citizen:
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/observer/story.html?id=2c15d2f0-f0ab-4da9-991a-23e4094de949&p=3
- Here are undercover investigation by US government and Chinese dissident disproving it:
1) http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=April&x=20060416141157uhyggep0.5443231&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html
http://www.usembassy.it/pdf/other/RL33437.pdf (section CRS-7)
2) http://www.cicus.org/info_eng/artshow.asp?ID=6491
http://www.zonaeuropa.com/20060806_1.htm
We know we struck a nerve with Beijing when Charles Liu shows up!
http://organharvestinvestigation.net/media/WesternStandard_040907.htm
http://kevinsteel.org/2007/04/09/sowing-confusion/
Sowing Confusion; Embarrassed by reports of live organ harvesting, China’s sympathizers launch a high-tech disinformation campaign
April 9, 2007 Monday
Final Edition
Kevin Steel, Western Standard, Alberta
He posts his messages everywhere under several different names on Internet blogs and discussion groups. He writes letters to the editor anywhere and sends e-mails to anyone–anyone who might take seriously shocking evidence that the Chinese government “harvests” and sells live organs from political prisoners. His main message is that the Falun Gong–the group which first brought evidence of live organ harvesting to light–and the Epoch Times newspaper that broke that story are spreading propaganda against China’s Communist government. And he’s not even Chinese. He is Charles Liu, a 40-year-old Taiwanese-born technology consultant who lives in Issaquah, Wash., and does business in China.
Liu has been so active and so pro-Beijing in his writings that some Falun Gong supporters–in particular Epoch Times reporter Jana Shearer–have accused him of being an agent for the Chinese government, waging a disinformation campaign against them, trying to confuse people, and deliberately wasting everyone’s time.
It’s a charge that upsets Liu, who dismisses it as “a bunch of kooky friends making unfounded accusations. It’s just a bunch of blog BS.” As for why he devotes so much energy to attacking the Falun Gong and the organ harvesting allegations, he says, “My position is that I simply don’t agree with their brand of politics, because I observed their politics turning from anti-Communist party, to anti-China, . . . and recently it’s morphed into this anti-Chinese hysteria and that’s going to be hurting people,” he says. As an Asian-American, he says he decided to speak up.
He doesn’t really explain, when asked, why he started a blog last year called “The Myth of Tiananmen Square Massacre” under the name of Bobby Fletcher (one of his online aliases, which he also uses to comment on the Western Standard’s online blog). On that blog, he pushes the minimal 250 casualty figure that the Chinese government has always maintained died that night in 1989 (more reliable estimates put the figure at at least ten times that).
Liu’s actions mirror disinformation campaigns waged by the Chinese government in the past. Typically, these include the deliberate spreading of false or misleading facts to sow confusion or doubt among the conflicting accounts. The classic example is the Tiananmen Square massacre; the Chinese government has maintained that no one died in the square itself, that there was only pushing and shoving on the streets around the square, resulting in a few military casualties. Overseas, the CCP relies on its United Front Work department, part of the Chinese intelligence service, to propagate its message. During the Cold War, the Soviets employed many overseas flunkies through their Disinformation Department.
Former Canadian MP David Kilgour, who co-authored a report on China’s macabre organ harvesting industry, has received many propaganda e-mails from Liu. For instance, Liu has written repeatedly that a U.S. congressional committee looked into the organ harvesting allegations and found nothing. “[David] Matas and I gave evidence to that subcommittee and got support from both the Republican chairman and the Democratic vice-chair,” says Kilgour. “I just came to the conclusion he was trying to waste my time, and I have other things to do.”
Winnipeg-based human rights lawyer, and Kilgour’s co-author, David Matas, really doesn’t know what to make of Liu. “I don’t know who he is, but what he does is spend a lot of time replicating nonsense to defend the Chinese government,” Matas says.
The only concern Matas has is that Liu seems to know who he and Kilgour met with in the United States to discuss their report. Matas discovered Liu had sent e-mails to politicians–and their staff–prior to the meetings. “The only people who would have that information would potentially be the Chinese government. I can’t imagine how Liu would know we were meeting with those people,” Matas says. “We’re not super-secretive, but you can’t find information on the Internet or in any public place about who we’re meeting with, where and when.” He himself has received at least 10 e-mails from Liu, all of which he’s ignored. Maybe Matas is onto something with that approach.
The organ harvesting reports have been discredited by no less an authority than anti-China activist Harry Wu. He doesn't believe the Falun Gong is helping it's cause by making up stories of organ harvesting. What Westerners don't seen to get is that the Falun Gong does function as a deceptive cult, with a leader who claims to heal his disciples and get them into Falun Gong paradise as long as they do exactly what he says. (He claims to know what they are thinking and doing 24/7 because he has an infinite number of "law bodies" which surround practitioners at all times.)
The most important aspect of Falun Gong practice during this period of the Fa Rectification is that each and every practitioner must work to expose the evil CCP...and it doesn't matter if the practitioners lie in the process.
The blatant mis-representation of this show to the public is just the tip of the iceberg.
For more information, check out this informative website done by a guy named Samuel Luo, whose parents are Falun Gong practitioners.
http://exposingthefalungong.org/
Here we go with the anti-Falun Gong propaganda. And it's layed on pretty thick too. FYI Falun Gong is known in the west as a meditation discipline and in China it is known as a cult along with Christianity , Buddhism and other underground religions. They say that the Dalai Lama is evil for preaching Compassion. Although China observers maintain that the CCP is a death cult having put to death some 80 million of their own people since their reign of terror in 1949. Read Mao: The Untold Story to know more about this. Falun Gong members speak about the CCP only because they are the ones persecuting them and stealing their organs. Also proven in 3 separate studies by independent experts. Just ask the Jews, the only way to stop a genocide is to talk about it and expose the atrocities. That is nothing new. Furthermore, Falun Gong members, I know many of them, and they are peaceful people who care for their family being tortured in China for their beliefs. The persecution is well documented at the UN, AI, HRW, and others. Rapporteur on Torture, Manfred Nowak, is investigation forced organ harvesting as well. It's not rare for dictorships to go overboard and make money out of the 'undesirables'...in this case carving people while they are alive and killing them in the process. The fresher the organ--the more money they get for them. Even the Nazis didn't stoop that low.
We all know that freedom of religion is a right that should be respected by all people and governments of the world. In ancient times, the elders believed that it brought prosperity to a nation.
Anyhow, punishing the victims instead of the oppressors is not the way to go!
If the artists must use their art to project a message, I'm all for it. It's been done before and the arts is the language of the heart--to express suffering is part of it.
Makini,
Falun Gong is no more a "meditation discipline" than Christianity is. Anyone who went to the Falun Gong New Years show in NYC knows that. Li Hongzhi is not only your teacher, he is your savior. In fact, Master Li says that he alone is offering salvation to mankind during this period of "Fa Rectification."
Would you care to explain what "Fa Rectification" means to this audience and how it fits in with what Westerners think of as a "meditation discipline"? Your master also teaches that homosexuals do not meet the standard of being human and that unless we give up our dirty sinful ways we will not be able to be saved during his Fa Rectification process. Does that sound like a "meditation discipline" to you?
also, in the chinese "Zhuan Fa Lun" text, it says that race should be pure, and it looks down on inter-racial couples and kids. I bet you didn't know that, cause they took that out of the english text to attract westerners.
MGL, feel free to interpret any teachings of any religions/spiritualities how you see fit. For example "Drink my blood" from the bible doesn't sound that great at first unless you understand the meaning embedded in that principle. But people can find just about anything wrong with diverse beliefs. That is why freedom of religion is so important to us all.
What strikes me the most about Falun Gong is how they are facing a brutal persecution by the Communist regime without violence.
M,
I'm not interpreting Li's teachings, just reporting them. Li tells his followers that his Fa Rectification process will weed out certain categories of people, while those who practice FG will be saved. Li also tells his followers they must work to destroy the evil and wicked Chinese Communist Party in order to reach "consumation" (salvation).
Given these facts, I think it's misleading to allow the "meditation discipline" label to apply to the FG, unless we at least qualify it. Falun Gong has always been about Li's ideas on how corrupt mankind has become and how only he can provide salvation while the cosmos is undergoing a fundamental change based on Li's moral principles.
This particular Gothamist article is how the Falun Gong New Year's show turned out to be a piece of agitprop. Since most people are not familiar with Li Hongzhi's teachings, isn't it important to explain why his practitioners (which includes the people who put on this show once a year) MUST propagandize against the CCP? If you don't believe me, here are the Master's words own words on this subject:
"So when you clarify the truth you absolutely must not speak at too high of a level. Right now when you clarify the truth you only need to talk about the persecution of Dafa disciples, how the evil party has been violating the human rights and the freedom of belief of the Chinese people, how historically the evil party has persecuted the Chinese people and the people of the countries belonging to the wicked Communist bloc, and how it is persecuting Dafa disciples today in the same way. And that's enough. As for high-level cultivation and gods, you shouldn't talk about those things."
Teaching the Fa in San Francisco, 2005 (November 5, 2005)
http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2005/12/4/67552.html
And before we lose site of the facts of the case, let's get more facts out in the open.
Like the two Falun Gong "operatives" that have been commenting here - Jana Shearer and Makina Beauregard.
If you Google their names with key words like "Dafa", "Epoch Times", you'll see these two are intimately involved with Falun Gong's blosphere propagda - Jana Shearer is a Falun Gong spokesperson, a Epoch Times reporter, for example.
I have had numerous of run-ins with Jana Shearer, as well as other blogers. She basically makes accusation she can't back up, in the hopes to intimidate and silence Falun Gong's critics:
http://falungongpolitics.blogspot.com/2007/04/epoch-times-reporters-gone-wild.html
Take the Western Standard article, from a paper that ceased printing - there's not a shred of proof, only baseless insinuations.
Makina, please let your dear Mr. Matas know that the only reason I am able to send complaint letters about him is because disciples like you promote the hell out of his Falun Gong sponsored appearances.
There's no spycraft necessary.
Hey Charles and green tree, Maybe the both of you should go see the show tonight. Then you could truly comment on it. It seems that the handful of people who didn't like the show are all on this blog. The rave reviews speak for themselves guys!
Religious freedom is a gift from heaven that I cherish very much and I'm not about to debate Falun Gong or the Dalai Lama's teachings either. I'll leave that up to the skeptics! All I know is that I truly respect the principle of truth, compassion, tolerance, peace and justice which is central to China's ancient culture and that of Falun Gong.
And I really liked the way those values were transmitted in the show with the 3-d backdrop and the mini-dramas. Especially the scene about Falun Gong--a real eye opener and the Fruit of goodness is about two punks who go in the temple and come out with greater respect for the deities. Lots of lessons to be learned from this ancient history unless you're watching it with eyes what shut or with hatred in your heart because some of the artists happened to be Falun Gong Jews.
Makina,
In the West, you are free to believe whatever you want; no one is faulting you for your beliefs. But your attempts to side-step the point of this discussion are obvious. The Falun Gong has once again deceived the public by misrepresenting the content of its annual show, thus alienating people who might otherwise have been your allies. If practitioners have difficulty being honest about basic things like what their annual show is about, how can the general public believe you when you say that the CCP condones live organ harvesting of FG practitioners?
Anti-China critic Harry Wu has made the same point about the fabrication of organ harvesting stories by the FG. You don't consider Harry Wu an agent of the evil CCP, do you? Of course not, he is one of your natural allies. But even he has criticized your group for its tendency to bend the truth in order to achieve its political goals.
MGL,
I'm not sure who's been off topic here, because most of the posters seem to be simply about bashing Falun Gong and not about the show. Yes they do have the right to practice their faith here with constant harassment from the communist party. They also exercise their ability to express their Chinese experience through the performing arts spectacular at which they excel. Imagine that! BTW great operas and ballets have depicted historical events for centuries on stage--this is nothing new--think about the Last Emperor!
Do they get criticized for doing it? Nope
But judging by the rave reviews, more than a good few people just loved the show.
http://en.epochtimes.com/211,134,,1.html
Why is that whereever Falun Gong's agiprop theater goes, they hide the fact it is Falun Gong?
Same thing happened in LA:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-chinese7jan07,0,2804410.story
When Sound of Hope put on the show last March, their Chicago station manager Yi Liu lied about SoH having no association with FLG:
http://www.free-press-release.com/news/200703/1172761137.html
Why is Falun Gong so ashamed of their religion and politics?
Hmm! I've never seen any promo material from other shows saying: Oh! this show is Christian, or this one is Jewish or Protestant.
Only anti-Falun Gong people would think of asking that type of question that Charles just asked. It's to make people feel ashamed of themselves. Another tactic of a true pro-Beijing propagandist.
However, I seem to recall that they've said all along that it's put on by non-communist Chinese. That tells a story in itself.
So Charles Liu you can stop slandering Falun Gong anytime now. Your information is outdated and your spin is nefarious and boring.
During the Q & A session for his 2007 NY speech to his disciples, Master Li mused on why these shows have not been doing so well and announced he would take charge of them himself:
"In previous years it was all done by you, the Dafa disciples. Each year after I watched it, however, I felt at once both happy and unsatisfied. Dafa disciples expended a lot of financial, material, and human resources on each year's Chinese New Year show, and the persons involved were usually core members of various projects. So if we didn't achieve our desired results, it would really be a net loss, and not worth it.
Even during the show I heard sarcastic comments, and theater-goers said all sorts of things as they were exiting the show--meaning that the desired result was not achieved. ....Later on I thought it over for a while, pondering: "Should we continue to hold the show? If the results stay the same, it can't go on. Dafa disciples haven't been doing all of this to give ordinary people entertainment. If it can't save people after our having expended so many human, material, and financial resources on it--and it is being done in multiple areas--then it can't continue."
Later, when I weighed it carefully, I saw that there were indeed some persons with talent in this area among our Dafa disciples, and who had always wanted to validate the Fa in this capacity. They all had a similar desire. Of course, I'm talking about it at the surface level. So I thought: "Since that