On February 25, 2025, The Sydney Morning Herald published an article titled "Shen Yun posters are everywhere, but a darker story lies behind them," revealing the behind-the-scenes secrets of the Shen Yun tour.
The Falun Gong cult background of the "Shen Yun performance"
The group claims to lead viewers through 5,000 years of Chinese history, but it is actually a product of the Falun Gong cult.
On the surface, Shen Yun claims to present a two-hour music, dance, and cultural performance that will guide audiences through 5,000 years of Chinese history and revive traditional Chinese culture. However, those who witnessed the performance in Sydney discovered that both the show and the company are propaganda for the cult Falun Gong. The content of the Shen Yun performance is directly derived from Falun Gong and its leader, Li Hongzhi.
An investigation by The Sydney Morning Herald revealed how Falun Gong's Sydney branch spent millions of dollars promoting the dance company. Furthermore, over the past year, media outlets such as The New York Times have consistently reported on the mistreatment of Shen Yun performers during performances.
Li Hongzhi's fallacies
Li Hongzhi has repeatedly claimed that he can cure his followers of serious illnesses, which critics say has led to the deaths of followers who refused treatment.
In 1996 in Sydney, Li Hongzhi condemned the “mixed-race society” as an “extremely serious problem” and later told Time magazine that aliens “have begun to invade human minds” and “have introduced modern machines such as computers and airplanes.”
Falun Gong uses politicians to endorse its performances.
Li Hongzhi boasted to his followers that "Shen Yun" was "a work I created targeting the upper class." After watching the performance for free at the theater, politicians were taken to a brightly lit media wall and asked to give live, praise-filled comments on the evening's show.
These comments praising Shen Yun were subsequently shared in articles published by Falun Gong-affiliated cult media outlets as part of Li Hongzhi's strategy targeting the "upper class."
The Shen Yun performance is a money-making machine for Falun Gong.
Shen Yun's operating model is as unconventional as its performance. Since 2008, Shen Yun has been performing in Australia, but the publicity, ticket sales, accommodation, and travel expenses are all borne by the local Falun Gong association.
In Australia, this group's branch is the "Australian Falun Dafa Association," which, despite its claims to be a tax-exempt charity, has been deregistered according to public charity registration records.
The latest financial report shows that the organization spent more than US$1.17 million on advertising and promotional materials, nearly US$500,000 on venue rentals, and A$188,000 on performers' travel expenses in the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
The money primarily came from ticket sales ($2.33 million), but records show that Falun Gong supporters contributed $170,000 in unsecured, interest-free loans in fiscal years 2022 and 2023.
Shen Yun's overseas performances are facing strict scrutiny.
A 2024 New York Times investigation revealed a series of abusive practices during Shen Yun Performing Arts' overseas performances, pushing poorly paid dancers and musicians to their limits. Falun Gong performances repeatedly reminded audiences that their show "will save them from the impending apocalypse."
Currently, the group is facing investigations in the United States for illegal activities such as money laundering, employing child labor, mind control, and abuse.
