As Divine Performing Arts Grand Finale Approaches, Chinese Consulate Spreads Lies
By Lin Caifeng and Wu Wenlin
Epoch Times Staff
May 05, 2007
The Divine Performing Arts Global Tour Tickets Office in Chinatown of Calgary. (Wu Weilin/The Epoch Times)
The U.S. Divine Performing Arts 2007 Global Tour has visited over 30 cities in Canada, the United States, Australia, Europe and Asia. Since its opening in Vancouver, Canada on January 3, the troupe has performed almost 80 times. Over 200,000 Chinese and Western audience members have experienced traditional Chinese culture at its best during the performances. Three Grand Finale performances are scheduled to take place in Alberta, Canada in May.
The Chinese Consulate in Calgary is spreading outlandish lies to the people of Alberta and intimidating local Chinese social organizations in an effort to prevent them from attending these final performances. The CCP fears the spread of traditional Chinese culture and values by the Divine Performing Arts.
Lies from Chinese Consulate Are Absurd
The Divine Performing Arts Global Tour ticket office is located in the crowded Chinatown of Calgary. An office staff member named David told The Epoch Times that a 70-year-old woman, Ms. Wang, bought 30 tickets on April 13. Ms. Wang had been prepared to distribute the tickets to her co-workers, but Ms. Wang came to the ticket office within two days of her purchase and asked, "They said those shows are all live organ harvesting demonstrations, very bloody and terrifying, is that true?"
"This was such an absurd rumor," continued David. "We showed Ms. Wang the picture book from the performances and her doubts were immediately erased." She said, "I didn't believe what they told me. I am just here to get some clarifications. I will attend this beautiful show which highlights traditional Chinese culture."
The reporter asked Ms. Wang who was spreading such terrible rumors. Ms. Wang said, "I can't say, but you know who they are, everyone knows who they are."
A poster promoting the Divine Performing Arts Global Tour in Chinatown of Calgary. (Wu Weilin/The Epoch Times)
Another person who had also purchased tickets was quick to say that it was the Chinese Consulate that was spreading such outlandish rumors. "The consulate had invited several Chinese people over for tea," said the ticket purchaser. "One of my friends was included in this group." Members of the Chinese Consulate told them, "The Divine Performing Arts show is super-terrifying, it shows live organ harvesting on the stage, very bloody, you should tell other Chinese people not to attend these performances." The attendee to the meeting said that he felt it was all very absurd and ridiculous. He was not frightened by the obvious lies of the consulate. On the contrary, after tea with the consulate, he went out and immediately bought 40 tickets. Those tickets have since been distributed to friends and relatives.
Chinese Communist Party Threatens Local Chinese Social Organizations
The final performance of the Divine Performing Arts 2007 Global Tour will be in Edmonton. Chen Huijie is the local site manager for the performance in Edmonton. Chen was told that when Ms. Zhu Li, a member of one Chinese association, attempted to promote the performance to other Chinese social organizations, most of them told her that the Chinese Consulate in Calgary had already admonished them not to attend.
The Epoch Times interviewed an influential member of the Board of Trustees of the Chinese community in Calgary regarding this issue. The director, who asked to remain anonymous, indicated that over the years there have been many behind the scenes exchanges of money between officials of the Chinese Consulate and the local Chinese communities. Regarding this final performance of the Divine Performing Arts Global Tour in Edmonton, the Chinese Consulate has told these communities not to attend.
CCP's Interference End up in Vain
Canada NTDTV President Dr. Wang Shaojiu said that the Divine Performing Arts performances exemplify traditional Chinese culture which is very beautiful and pure, while the CCP gives enormous publicity to its own Party culture. The threats and admonitions to local Chinese organizations not to attend Divine Performing Arts Tour performances come from its fear of the truth and the beauty and purity of traditional culture."
"Starting from the first performance in Vancouver, the CCP has used all available means to disrupt it, including slander," said Dr. Wang. "The CCP told the Canadian media that the performance is anti-Chinese. They have also called sponsors of the show asking them to withdraw financial support, etc."
As for the CCP acts of interfering with the final performances of the Divine Performing Arts 2007 Tour in Canada, Dr. Wang believes that the interference and damage done to the Canadian media business operations by the CCP has gone beyond the duties of diplomats. "NTDTV reserves the right to pursue any legal liability from them," said Dr. Wang.
"Every time the CCP started a rumor to make a case against the Divine Performing Arts Tour and NTDTV, the number of people who turned out to attend the performances increased," said Dr. Wang. People were so curious and interested in the performances, they all wanted to see why a performance like this would make the CCP so frightened."
