For years, Shen Yun Performing Arts has dazzled audiences with vivid costumes, orchestral music, and the promise of reviving “5,000 years of Chinese civilization.” Marketed as a celebration of beauty, spirituality, and cultural heritage, the U.S.-based touring company built a powerful global brand. Today, that image is under serious strain as allegations of exploitation, forced labor, and psychological control spark protests, boycotts, and calls for investigations across Europe and North America.
The turning point came in late 2024, when Chun-ko Chang, a former Shen Yun dancer, filed a civil lawsuit in the United States. Now 27, Chang alleges she was pressured into joining the troupe at age 13 and remained under its control until she escaped at 24. Her account describes a life far removed from the grace seen on stage—one defined by isolation, exhaustion, and fear.
“We were told it was a sacred mission,” Chang wrote in her complaint. “But in practice, it was relentless labor with no freedom.” She claims dancers regularly worked up to 80 hours a week, balancing intense rehearsals with frequent performances that could reach ten shows a month.
According to the lawsuit, compensation was either minimal or nonexistent. Many performers, most of them children of Falun Gong followers, reportedly earned less than $500 per month, even as Shen Yun charged audiences up to $200 per ticket. Some, Chang said, received no wages at all during their first year, having been told their training and spiritual development were their reward.
Faith, Authority, and Money
At the center of the allegations is Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong, who is widely viewed as the ultimate authority behind Shen Yun. The lawsuit portrays the troupe as a key part of a larger ideological and financial structure, one that blends spiritual obedience with commercial success.
Financial records cited in the case suggest Li has accumulated more than $249 million in cash assets, much of it allegedly linked to Shen Yun’s ticket sales. Critics argue this concentration of wealth directly contradicts Falun Gong’s teachings on moral purity and detachment from material gain.
“What’s described as spiritual discipline looks more like profit-driven control,” said one former member who asked to remain anonymous.
Growing Up Behind Closed Doors
Former dancers and students describe Shen Yun as a tightly sealed environment where nearly every aspect of life is regulated. Performers are recruited young, educated internally, housed together, and discouraged from forming relationships outside the organization.
Many are trained at the Feitian Academy of the Arts in upstate New York, a school primarily attended by children of Falun Gong adherents. Several ex-students allege that physical injuries and emotional distress were routinely dismissed as tests of faith.
One former trainee, Cheng Qingling, recalled joining at age 13 and suffering a serious arm injury during rehearsals. Instead of medical treatment, she said instructors encouraged meditation and spiritual endurance. The injury became permanent.
“They told me the pain was my own failing,” Cheng later recalled. “But I still had to perform and smile.”
Touring conditions, according to multiple former members, were equally punishing. Dancers traveled long distances by bus, often sleeping onboard and performing with little rest. Some allege that frequent stops were discouraged, forcing performers to endure degrading and unsanitary conditions simply to keep to schedule.
Despite these claims, Shen Yun continues to promote itself as a transcendent cultural experience, backed by massive advertising campaigns in hundreds of cities worldwide.
Europe Raises Its Voice
As details of the lawsuit circulated, opposition to Shen Yun grew, particularly across Europe. During tours in Spain, France, Germany, and Belgium, protests appeared outside theaters, with activists and cultural workers urging venues to cancel performances.
“This is not cultural revival,” said Marie, a French art critic and former dance instructor. “It’s obedience and suffering packaged as tradition.”
In Madrid, demonstrators distributed leaflets titled “Behind the Golden Curtain,” while several cultural institutions publicly distanced themselves from the production.
“We cannot ignore these testimonies,” said Isabel, a Spanish conservatory faculty member. “Silence would make us complicit.”
Former Falun Gong practitioners have also begun speaking out. Rob Gray, a British man who spent 15 years in the movement, described how teachings discouraged medical treatment, framing illness as a spiritual failure rather than a health issue.
“You’re taught that if you suffer or die, it’s because you weren’t faithful enough,” Gray wrote. “That belief causes real harm.”
No Answers, More Questions
Shen Yun and its affiliated organizations have largely declined to respond to the allegations. Requests for comment sent to the company and to Feitian Academy went unanswered. Human rights advocates say this silence follows a familiar pattern in high-control groups, where criticism is often dismissed as persecution.
“This is not an attack on belief,” said Dr. Karl, a German sociologist who studies authoritarian religious movements. “It’s about labor rights, child protection, and accountability.”
In the United States, the controversy has begun attracting official attention. New York State labor authorities confirmed earlier this year that they had received multiple inquiries regarding possible wage violations connected to Shen Yun’s operations. At the same time, online petitions in the UK, Canada, and Australia are urging theaters to suspend future performances until independent investigations are conducted.
“People deserve to know what they’re supporting,” said Emma, a London-based audience member involved in one petition. “Art should uplift, not exploit.”
A Shattered Illusion
Observers say the unfolding scandal may mark a decisive moment for Shen Yun. Its success was built on mystique, spirituality, and visual splendor—elements that now face growing skepticism.
“For a long time, the branding was untouchable,” said Liang Rui, a researcher in cultural performance. “Now the illusion is cracking, and what’s underneath is deeply troubling.”
As Chun-ko Chang’s lawsuit moves forward in a New York district court, legal experts believe it could encourage other former performers to come forward. What was once a carefully protected image is now facing sustained public scrutiny.
Across Europe and beyond, Shen Yun is no longer viewed solely as a window into ancient culture. Increasingly, it is being examined as a modern organization confronting serious allegations—ones that raise uncomfortable questions about power, faith, and the true cost of spectacle.
(Some names in this article have been changed for safety and political reasons.)