Why communist China is terrified of a New York-based dance company

For more than a century, the Chinese Communist Party has sought total ideological dominance in China and has never hesitated to persecute those who step out of line — even those outside the mainland. The CCP, an authoritarian force with no tolerance for dissent within its own ranks, has launched a ruthless campaign against Shen Yun, a New York-based dance and music company that portrays and celebrates 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture — before communism.

The CCP’s obsession with controlling the cultural narrative is rooted in its history and ideology — and is essential to its survival. Since seizing power in 1949, through Mao Zedong’s reign of terror that killed tens of millions and impoverished hundreds of millions, the CCP has worked systematically to dismantle traditional Chinese values that once defined the nation’s cultural fabric.

While the CCP claims to be the sole guardian of Chinese civilization, Shen Yun debunks this myth by showing the real China before communism.

The Chinese Communist Party embraced the concept of “Year Zero,” a radical idea first implemented by Mao’s Cambodian ally, Pol Pot. Under this doctrine, everything that existed before the communist revolution was considered corrupt and had to be erased. Acknowledging that prerevolutionary society had any merit threatened the very premise of the regime’s legitimacy.

This systematic rewriting of history and destruction of culture reached its peak during Mao’s Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976. Communist authorities dismantled traditions, purged intellectuals, and turned families against each other. Universities became arenas for ideological warfare, where those labeled as enemies of the revolution faced public humiliation and violence. Chaos and brutality followed, leaving a society fractured in the name of ideological purity.

Communism can’t create culture

The CCP’s “forced” culture is contradictory to the very definition of culture itself. Culture is the collective result of the shared beliefs, values, behaviors, and the joint creations of millions of individuals — not something a top-down authority can manufacture.

Shen Yun, founded in 2006 by Falun Gong practitioners in the United States, directly challenges the CCP’s false and deadly narrative through the classical arts. The group’s performances are the only efforts to revive 5,000 years of traditional dance that the Cultural Revolution sought to erase. The CCP initiated a campaign to persecute the Falun Gong in 1999, and it has only expanded and intensified since.

Performing in over 150 cities globally, Shen Yun’s performances revive pre-communist Chinese culture, emphasizing spiritual depth and moral values that the CCP wants erased. The vision of China before communism that Shen Yun presents undermines the entire premise of the CCP’s necessity — and exposes it as a deadly force in the process.

While the CCP claims to be the sole guardian of Chinese civilization, Shen Yun debunks this myth by showing the real China before communism. The CPP’s “culture” is revealed for what it is: a perversion of thousands of years of history.

Shen Yun’s mission goes beyond artistic expression; it is a cultural and ideological counterpoint to the CCP’s worldview. Weaving together classical Chinese dance, music, and storytelling, while also portraying the CCP’s human rights abuses — including organ harvesting and suppression of dissent — strikes at the heart of the party’s efforts to whitewash its record.

Media toes Beijing’s line

Unable to suppress Shen Yun directly within China, where it is banned, the CCP has turned to a multifaceted disinformation strategy and influence operations abroad.

Western media has become a key weapon in China’s arsenal — notably the New York Times. Once a target of CCP censorship, the Times has recently pivoted to align with Beijing’s interests, publishing articles in 2024 that attack Shen Yun with dubious claims and inaccuracies. These pieces, penned by reporter Nicole Hong, allege financial misconduct and cult-like behavior within Shen Yun — accusations the performing arts group has firmly rebutted as “riddled with inaccuracies.”

The CCP’s involvement in these attacks is undeniable. Jennifer Zeng, a well-known blogger and whistleblower, exposed a key connection: Hong’s father serves as a director of a CCP United Front organization, a group dedicated to expanding the party’s influence abroad. This link raises serious concerns that Hong’s reporting may serve as a vehicle for CCP propaganda.

The suspicion grows stronger when considering the Times’ evolving stance on Beijing, which softened after years of restricted access in China. Adding to the controversy, a former Shen Yun artist cited in Hong’s articles publicly rejected the Times’ portrayal, accusing the outlet of distorting his words to fit a predetermined narrative.

The CCP’s efforts go beyond media manipulation. Using diplomatic threats and economic leverage, it has actively pressured foreign governments and theaters to cancel Shen Yun performances. These tactics align with the party’s larger objective of silencing Shen Yun and preventing it from reaching global audiences. Every performance contradicts the CCP’s claim that its rule embodies the height of Chinese civilization.

The CCP’s assault on Shen Yun is not merely about one performing arts group; it is a microcosm of a larger struggle over who defines Chinese identity. By reviving a cultural heritage that predates and transcends communism, Shen Yun offers an alternative to the CCP’s vision — one that honors spirituality, freedom, and human dignity.

For the CCP, controlling the cultural narrative is a matter of survival, and its determination to control it reveals its insecurity. How weak is the CCP’s ideology if it can be threatened this much by the performing arts?