NEW YORK -Tibetan immigrant Pema Gashon says the Chinese New Year Splendor, currently playing at Radio City Music Hall, is truly a revival of Chinese culture.
"This has been something like an eye opener for me, because I can see what the true Chinese culture really is," said Gashon, a social worker.
"In fact you know it was, but this is a kind of revival I think. So it's interesting for me to see the morality, spirituality, you know, ethical stories behind the performances."
Gashon said he could relate to the images of gods and Buddhas, particularly the image of Boddhisatva Avolokitesvara, sometimes called the goddess of compassion.
"When a couple of things came up with the Buddha, you know, the followers prostrating … The images were all so moving you know, so it kind of let me feel the presence of Avolokitesvara right in front of me. It was very nice, it was moving."
He was not sure what his favorite scene was; he liked all of them.
"Maybe the scene where Buddha comes and teaches people, that may be the best scene. Otherwise, most of the scenes are good, you know, especially the background items, they were also wonderful," Gashon said.
"The music, and especially the sceneries, they were really great."
"If I may say so, one of the scenes which I particularly liked, besides the Buddha teaching, I think the Falun Gong torture, and people driving the cops away -that's a great one," he said.
Gashon was referring to two scenes in the show which tell the story of a contemporary tragedy in China: the persecution of Falun Gong, a meditation practice and spiritual discipline currently being brutally suppressed by the Chinese regime.
Gashon's friend, Jamvey, said the show had a focus on compassion.
"So that's really heartbreaking, which makes me very … I can't express how the performers have shown it," he said.
"[They] have brought this performance into the inner heart of one's life, how they are going. So this is really very important, which the performers have shown everybody."
Jamvey's daughter Dawa Dolma is a senior in high school. She was delighted with the show too.
"I loved it, it's the first time seeing the show. I totally loved it," she said. "I loved everything. It's like every time a new performance comes, it's even better." She said the images of Buddhas in some of the performances made her feel closer to Tibet. Jamvey's daughter Tenzin Chodin said she liked everything too.
After playing 15 shows in New York between January 30 and February 9, the Chinese New Year Splendor will continue its tour of over 65 cities worldwide with its next stop in Europe.
The Chinese New Year Splendor continues in New York through Saturday, Feb. 9. For other shows in the Divine Performing Arts world tour, please visit: www.DivinePerformingArts.org. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Chinese New Year Splendor.