How Shen Yun Artists Triumph Over Communist Chinese Oppression | The Federalist

How Shen Yun Artists Triumph Over CCP Oppression

神韻藝術家如何戰勝中國共產黨的壓迫

By: Helen Raleigh  |  June 15, 2026  

The film delves into the CCP’s extreme, relentless efforts to silence this cultural and religious phenomenon, showcasing the remarkable resilience of Shen Yun performers.

這部影片深入探討了中共為壓制這項文化與宗教現象所採取的極端且毫不留情的手段，同時展現了神韻藝術家們非凡的韌性。

Last month, intense pressure from the Chinese embassy in Seoul led South Korea’s KBS Hall to cancel four performances of Shen Yun, an artistic performance of traditional Chinese music and dance. The communist government despises China’s pre-Communist history and traditions.  

上個月，由於中國駐首爾大使館施加了巨大壓力，南韓的KBS大廳被迫取消了四場「神韻」演出——這是一場融合傳統中國音樂與舞蹈的藝術表演。共產黨政府厭惡中國共產主義統治前的歷史與傳統。

This incident followed closely after the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto scratched six shows due to anonymous bomb threats associated with a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence operation. These events reflect a disturbing trend: Shen Yun has reported more than 150 similar threats worldwide in the past two years, including a bomb threat in 2025 that resulted in the evacuation of Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center. 

此事件緊接著多倫多四季劇院因匿名炸彈威脅與中國共產黨（CCP）影響行動有關，取消六場演出。這些事件反映了一個令人不安的趨勢：神韻在過去兩年中，全球已報告超過150起類似威脅，包括2025年一次炸彈威脅，導致華盛頓特區甘迺迪中心被疏散。

The new documentary Unbroken: The Untold Story of Shen Yun is directed by Fiona Young and will premiere in Los Angeles on June 17. The film delves into the CCP’s extreme, relentless efforts to silence this cultural and religious phenomenon, showcasing the remarkable resilience of Shen Yun performers. 

新紀錄片《堅不可摧：神韻幕後的故事》由 Fiona Young 執導，將於6月17日在洛杉磯首映。本片深入探討中共為壓制這項文化與宗教現象所採取的極端且毫不留情的手段，並展現了神韻藝術家非凡的韌性。

Shen Yun has a deep tie with Falun Gong, a spiritual practice founded by Li Hongzhi in the 1990s focused on self-improvement and meditation. The discipline once attracted tens of millions in China. The CCP banned the movement in 1999, labeling it an “anti-society cult,” and has persecuted its followers for decades.  

神韻與法輪功有著深厚的淵源。法輪功是由李洪志先生於1990年代創立的一種精神修煉法，著重於自我提升與冥想。這項修煉法曾吸引中國數千萬人參與。中共於1999年將該運動定性為「反社會邪教」並禁止，數十年來持續迫害其追隨者。

After Hongzhi was exiled to the United States, his followers established organizations such as Shen Yun Performing Arts Company and The Epoch Times to preserve traditional Chinese culture, critique the CCP, and spread Falun Gong’s teachings. This connection explains why the CCP has targeted Shen Yun with transnational aggression.  

李洪志先生流亡至美國後，他的追隨者成立了神韻藝術團和《大紀元》等組織，旨在保存中國傳統文化、批評中共，並傳播法輪功的教義。這層關聯解釋了為何中共會針對神韻發動跨國鎮壓。

Shen Yun Performing Arts presents a new two-hour dance production each year that tours internationally. Blending exquisite classical Chinese dance with stunning visuals and a live orchestra, the show celebrates 5,000 years of pre-communist Chinese culture while powerfully depicting the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners under the Chinese regime.  

神韻藝術團每年都會推出一部為時兩小時的全新舞蹈作品，並展開國際巡演。這場演出將精緻的中國古典舞與令人驚豔的視覺效果及現場管弦樂團演奏相融合，既頌揚了共產主義統治前的五千年中國文化，同時也有力地揭露了中國政權對法輪功修煉者的迫害。

Many of the performers and staff have personally experienced this repression, giving the performance profound authenticity and emotional depth. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, Shen Yun has earned rave reviews from audiences, dancers, choreographers, and celebrities alike for the show’s artistic brilliance, breathtaking visuals, live orchestra, and compelling narratives. 

許多表演者與工作人員都曾親身經歷過這份壓迫，使這場演出充滿深刻的真實感與情感深度。如今正值成立二十週年之際，「神韻」憑藉其卓越的藝術成就、令人屏息的視覺效果、現場管弦樂團以及引人入勝的故事敘述，贏得了觀眾、舞者、編舞家及各界名流的一致好評。

Yet this success has invited scrutiny. In 2024 and 2025, The New York Times published a series of investigative reports that raised serious allegations against the organization, including exploitative labor practices. The reports claimed that Shen Yun discouraged medical care for injuries, engaged in emotional manipulation, and underpaid young performers while amassing significant revenue and supporting an opulent lifestyle for Hongzhi and his wife. 

然而，這份成功也招致了嚴格的審視。2024年和2025年，《紐約時報》刊載了一系列調查報導，對該組織提出嚴重的指控，包括剝削勞動行為。報導指稱神韻不鼓勵受傷者就醫、進行情緒操控，並在累積巨額收入、為李洪志先生及其妻子維持奢華生活之際，卻向年輕表演者支付過低的薪酬。

Several former performers subsequently filed lawsuits alleging forced child labor and other abuses. New York State’s Department of Labor launched an investigation into the treatment of underage trainees. No conclusions have been released. 

隨後，數名前表演者提起訴訟，指控該機構存在強迫童工及其他虐待行為。紐約州勞工部已針對未成年受訓者的待遇展開調查。目前尚未公布任何調查結論。

Shen Yun has firmly denied the allegations, asserting that these claims are mere distortions from discontented former members or part of a smear campaign orchestrated by the CCP. Unbroken stands as Shen Yun’s most powerful counterargument. It weaves together two storylines, with the more captivating one centered on young performers Lucas and Jesse Browde, who are not only talented but also dedicated beyond measure. 

神韻堅決否認這些指控，並聲明這些說法不過是不滿的前成員的歪曲，或是中共策劃的抹黑行動的一部分。《堅不可摧》是神韻最具說服力的反駁之作。該作品交織了兩條故事線，其中更引人入勝的一條以年輕表演者包明宇和包正宇為中心，他們不僅才華洋溢，更懷抱無與倫比的奉獻精神。

The film showcases their intense training, presenting an unfiltered look at their struggles while illuminating the unwavering love and support of  their families and supportive network of teachers and peers, who act like an extended family. At Shen Yun’s training academy in Dragon Springs, New York, the brothers discovered a deep sense of belonging and purpose. This compelling narrative effectively counters claims of child labor, emotional exploitation and isolation, and medical neglect. 

這部影片展現了他們刻苦的訓練過程，真實呈現了他們所面臨的艱辛，同時也突顯了家人以及宛如大家庭般的師長與同儕所給予的堅定愛與支持。在紐約龍泉（Dragon Springs）的神韻培訓學院，這對兄弟找到了深厚的歸屬感與人生目標。這段引人入勝的敘事，有效駁斥了關於童工、情感剝削與隔離，以及醫療疏忽等指控。

The second storyline follows New Tang Dynasty (NTD)’s Steve Lance investigating the NYT reports as part of a broader narrative about the CCP’s sabotage efforts. As NTD’s Washington D.C. bureau chief and chief political correspondent, Lance presents informative insights. However, this section is weaker, partly because the film does not fully disclose NTD’s own ties to Falun Gong practitioners (the same network that produced Unbroken). Including an independent journalist with no ties to Falun Gong could have significantly enhanced the film’s credibility. 

第二條故事線則聚焦於新唐人電視台（NTD）的史蒂夫·蘭斯（Steve Lance），他針對《紐約時報》的報導進行調查，作為關於中共破壞活動這一更廣泛敘事的一部分。身為新唐人電視台華盛頓特區分社社長兼首席政治記者，蘭斯提供了許多富有洞見的分析。然而，這部分的內容稍顯薄弱，部分原因在於影片並未充分揭露新唐人電視台自身與法輪功修煉者的關聯（該電視網正是製作《堅不可摧》的同一機構）。若能納入一位與法輪功毫無關聯的獨立記者，本片的可信度本可大幅提升。

Moreover, the documentary largely sidesteps the NYT’s claims about financial opacity and the lifestyle of Hongzhi and his wife, seemingly at the expense of performers and Falun Gong adherents. Although the film runs for 82 minutes and cannot cover every allegation, the noticeable omissions undermine its impact and leave essential questions unanswered. 

此外，這部紀錄片在很大程度上迴避了《紐約時報》關於財務不透明以及李洪志先生及其妻子生活方式的指控，這似乎是以表演者和法輪功學員為代價。雖然影片長達82分鐘，無法涵蓋所有指控，但這些明顯的遺漏削弱了其影響力，並使關鍵問題懸而未決。

Despite its limitations, the documentary, just like Shen Yun performances, captivates audiences with its visually stunning cinematography — especially the synchronized precision of the young dancers — and its emotionally resonant storytelling.  Whether or not one agrees with every aspect of Shen Yun and the message of Falun Gong, the film’s core warning lands powerfully: a foreign authoritarian regime should not be permitted to dictate what art free societies can watch or what spiritual beliefs individuals may hold. In an era of transnational repression, Unbroken may not be a perfect rebuttal, but it is a passionate and visually gripping one. This documentary is worth seeing as an act of support for artistic freedom and religious liberty.

儘管存在某些局限，這部紀錄片與神韻演出一樣，憑藉其視覺上令人驚豔的攝影手法——尤其是年輕舞者們精準同步的舞姿——以及觸動人心的敘事，深深吸引著觀眾。無論觀眾是否認同神韻的每個面向及法輪功所傳達的信息，影片的核心警示都極具震撼力：絕不應允許某個外國威權政權來決定自由社會能欣賞什麼樣的藝術，或個人可以持有何種精神信仰。在跨國鎮壓盛行的時代，《堅不可摧》或許並非完美的反駁之作，但它充滿熱情且視覺效果引人入勝。這部紀錄片值得一看，以表達對藝術自由與宗教自由的支持。

Helen Raleigh, CFA, is an American entrepreneur, writer, and speaker. She's a senior contributor at The Federalist. Her writings appear in other national media, including The Wall Street Journal and Fox News. Helen is the author of several books, including "Confucius Never Said" and “Backlash: How Communist China's Aggression Has Backfired." Her latest book is "Not Outsiders: Asian Americans’ political activism from the 19th century to today.” Follow her on Twitter: @HRaleighspeaks.

海倫·雷利（Helen Raleigh），CFA，是一位美國企業家、作家及演說家。她是《聯邦主義者》（The Federalist）的資深撰稿人，其文章亦刊載於《華爾街日報》和福斯新聞（Fox News）等其他全國性媒體。海倫著有數本著作，包括《孔子從未說過》（Confucius Never Said）及《反噬：共產中國的侵略如何適得其反》（Backlash: How Communist China's Aggression Has Backfired）。她的最新著作是《並非局外人：從19世紀至今的亞裔美國人政治行動主義》。
請在 Twitter 上追蹤她：@HRaleighspeaks。

How Shen Yun Artists Triumph Over CCP Oppression

(中文為AI翻譯)