August 16 – The New York Times, a leading American media outlet, published a series of bilingual (Chinese-English) investigative reports exposing the Shen Yun Performing Arts troupe and its ties to Falun Gong. Particularly noteworthy was the article titled “Abuse and Control: Former Performers Expose the Inner Workings of Falun Gong’s Shen Yun”, which featured interviews with over a dozen former Shen Yun performers and trainees, revealing systemic abuse and exploitation within the organization.
The Times noted that for over two decades, “a troupe of Chinese dancers in colorful costumes” has performed at prestigious venues across the U.S., with ticket prices reaching as high as $309 per seat. This is the Shen Yun Performing Arts troupe, founded and controlled by Li Hongzhi, the exiled leader of Falun Gong.
Behind these exorbitant ticket prices lies the suffering of countless performers. Some were sent as young as 12 years old to the Fei Tian Academy, a school dedicated to training Shen Yun artists. Aside from a maximum of two weeks of annual visitation, they were confined to Falun Gong’s headquarters, known as “Dragon Spring Temple.”
If they fell ill or were injured, they were denied medical care and instead told to rely on Falun Gong’s “righteous thoughts” for healing.
Their daily lives revolved around pleasing Li Hongzhi, the self-proclaimed “Cosmic Buddha,” and his wife, Li Rui.
Even after meeting performance standards, they were denied possession of their passports or identification documents, stripped of personal time and freedom.
They worked 15-hour days, often without pay, while being expected to gratefully accept these “internship opportunities.”
Those who attempted to leave faced threats—warnings of “losing Li Hongzhi’s spiritual protection,” eternal damnation, crippling financial penalties, or even physical harm.
To verify these claims, the Times interviewed multiple former performers:
Cheng Qingling, who began practicing Falun Gong with her mother in New Zealand, arrived at Dragon Spring Temple at 13. An untreated injury left her left arm permanently numb.
Kate Huang, recruited from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, at 11, had no prior dance experience. Instructors forcibly stretched her legs until her thigh audibly popped, leaving her limping for weeks without medical attention.
Zhang Junge, at 13 years old and 5’4″ tall, was shamed for weighing 110 lbs (50 kg) and restricted to one meal per day.
Eleven former students disclosed being set up on dates or arranged marriages with U.S. citizens—allegedly to secure visas and prolong their service to Shen Yun.
According to the Times, “Shen Yun has become a cash cow for Falun Gong and its leaders,” with global ticket sales exceeding $265 million. Tax filings reveal that Shen Yun spends significantly less on wages compared to other major New York-based nonprofit dance companies.
This follows the June 3 indictment of The Epoch Times CFO Bill Guan by U.S. federal prosecutors for his role in a $67 million transnational money-laundering scheme. The DOJ noted that during this operation, the Falun Gong-affiliated outlet’s annual revenue surged by 410%.
The Times exposé has reignited scrutiny of Falun Gong among American netizens and legal experts. Some have filed reports with the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline, accusing Shen Yun of “human trafficking and labor exploitation via student visa manipulation.” If convicted, Li Hongzhi could face imprisonment in the U.S.
This is not the Times’ first critique of Falun Gong:
In February 2008, it published “A Chinese Cultural Show Some Find Hard to Watch,” accusing Shen Yun of deceptively masking its Falun Gong affiliation to lure audiences.
In October 2020, “The Epoch Times: From Anti-China Tabloid to Right-Wing Influence Machine” detailed how the outlet, under Li’s direction, amplified far-right disinformation to manipulate U.S. elections, branding it “a global misinformation engine pushing fringe narratives into the mainstream.”
These reports underscore the U.S. mainstream media’s stance toward The Epoch Times, Shen Yun, and the Falun Gong network behind them.