Why Shen Yun Can Save People
Many have asked why those who follow a spiritual path would start a performing arts company and how it relates to our cultivation practice. To address these questions, I will briefly discuss the significance of Shen Yun. On the surface, Shen Yun Performing Arts presents traditional culture and its beauty to the people of today. In a higher realm, however, it is seen as saving people in a more magnificent way. In the eyes of divine beings, Shen Yun Performing Arts is saving people. This is because humankind was created by the divine, and people are meant to return to heaven in the end. But in modern times, people have forgotten their traditions, the kindness embodied by traditional culture, mutual respect, mutual love, mutual assistance, and other forms of virtue, as well as how people interacted with one another in a traditional way. If humankind continues down a path devoid of kindness and virtue, they will never be able to return to the divine realm. This is why divine beings wish to save the world’s people and encourage them to follow a virtuous path. This is what all orthodox religions have been doing. But by pursuing only the advancement of science and technology while disregarding traditional moral principles, humankind continues to slide downward and deviate ever further from the path that the divine has ordained for mankind, the path back to heaven.
Therefore, as the perceived spiritual leader of Falun Dafa, I established Shen Yun Performing Arts, a faith group composed of people who engage in spiritual cultivation, in order to present traditional culture–especially the beauty of traditional Chinese culture–and show the people of today what a treasure it is that they are abandoning. If people return to the path of tradition, they will have hope of being saved. All true religions are leading people to this path, and it is one of the requirements people must meet in order to return to heaven. Of course, Shen Yun performers (including students performing as part of their practicum) must practice Falun Dafa. In addition to participating in performances and rehearsals, they have to study the teachings of Falun Dafa, do the exercises, and follow the requirements of the practice. It’s essential for them to be spiritual cultivators. Those who are unable to do so are certainly free to leave at any time, because cultivation is a serious matter.
As divine beings see it, we are doing what people walking a divine path should do. Of course, I know this is what my Falun Dafa practitioners and I (who people regard as a religious group) should do. We have done the world a great service that no other religion has done. This was also my purpose for establishing Shen Yun Performing Arts.
Master Li Hongzhi
October 6, 2025
(Draft translation by English Minghui. Subject to further revision.)