Challenging Falun Gong “China Before Communism” Propaganda
By Dan ‘Nowman’ Niswander
January 30th, 2026
CPI L.A. conducted a full weekend of activism when the famous Shen Yun music and dance performance group returned to downtown Los Angeles in late January 2026. Shen Yun performances took place from Thursday January 22nd to Sunday January 25th at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in a block of downtown L.A. that is known for the best in local and touring theatrical, dance, and symphonic performances.
The spectacle of Shen Yun tours around the country annually and features a full orchestra with a classical dance troupe wearing period costumes, and with elaborate sets showcasing what their promotional materials call a “unique artistic vision” that “expands theatrical experience into a multi-dimensional, deeply moving journey through one of humanity’s greatest treasures- the five millennia of traditional Chinese culture.” This promotion also portrays this five millennia ‘ideal’ period of time in China as a time to celebrate what they call “the bedrock of civilization.”
Besides describing it with many descriptive adjectives such as majestic, transcending, un-rivaled, and explosive, and catch phrases such as “superbe artistry,” “exquisitely beautiful,” “timeless valor,” and “an exemplary display of excellence,” it also creates the image of something of a divine nature; glorious, purifying, “a source of hope,” and even with a sound that is literally “from Heaven above.”
Shen Yun was created by Falun Gong which is defined as a new spiritual movement that emphasizes moral improvement through the principles of “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.” Though it combines Buddhist-rooted teaching and meditation with qigong exercises related to Tai-Chi and practitioners aren’t encouraged to rely on the Western medicine, the organization, in a nutshell, is considered highly controversial in the United States as well as abroad.
The truth is, this controversy includes the perspective of this group as victimized by the Chinese government and the Communist Party which can seem to be very confusing, and that confusion may be intentionally political.
The group came out of the qigong movement on mainland China in 1992. It’s founder Li Hongzhi was seen as a godlike figure amongst the devotees. As they grew in numbers, some sources claimed that the Chinese government considered them to be a threat. In 1999, they were banned by the Chinese government and the government was accused of harassment. The Chinese government has questioned Falun Gong sources of funding. Human rights groups claimed that thousands of Falun Gong practitioners were tortured and died in Chinese labor camps though only one side of the story often gets reported.
The organization settled on a compound in Deer Park, New York near Li’s residency there. As the group continued to grow, particularly in the U.S., they now operate a variety of organizations in the United States such as the Epoch Media Group which includes the Epoch Times newspaper, and the New Tang Dynasty Television.
Adherents of Falun Gong created internet freeware such as Ultrasurf and Freegate supposedly for the purpose of circumventing Chinese government censorship, but it can be used anywhere.
There is also Shen Yun.
In addition to being anti-communist in their politics, Falun Gong also claims to be anti-homosexual, feminism, and sometimes modern medicine, and are consisted to be far right or ultra-conservative.
Every year, Shen Yun is marketed as ‘The Beauty and Wonder of China Before Communism.’ Predominately displayed on their flyers and posters, you’ll see the marketing phrase ‘China Before Communism.’ There are at least two problems with this marketing strategy.
First of all, China before what some people call communism, was feudalism, and even this has nuance. For instance, many feel that China has never really manifested any kind of communism, or at the very least has never been a real communist society even though a Communist Party has been in power. Many see real communism as a society where there is literally abundance available for everyone and that has never been truly realized and fully achieved anywhere in the world.
Many believed and still think that socialism is a transition to something better than what economically exists now which is ‘a feeling’ similar to how people in the west felt about capitalism in transition away from the domination of feudalism 250 to 300 years ago.
Technically in the 21st century, China is a socialist country with what has been called ‘Chinese characteristics.’ Those characteristics are uniquely their own and in the Chinese economy there is what can be called state capitalism as well as some private capitalism because of the presence of some western companies in mainland China.
CPI Los Angeles has been actively conducting a lot of outreach all around the L.A. area and previously addressed Shen Yun and Falun Gong in this same location a year ago at this time. Last year we focused on messages of peace including NO WAR WITH CHINA, RUSSIA, and IRAN.
Our signs this year displayed the words ‘China Before Communism Was Feudalism’ and also emphasized ‘The U.S. Should Join BRICS.’ We saw hundreds of faces look at our signs, reading the words, and some even took pictures including our sign displaying the CPI FOUR POINT ECONOMIC PLAN. Some people were engaged in some conversation with us about our positions.
Of course, BRICS is a modern economic coalition that initially began with Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa and there are other countries including Venezuela in the global south and Burkina Faso in western Africa being among the countries expressing interest in participation. As this coalition grows, the economic value and the combined GDP (gross domestic product) of the coalition groups will grow.
This concerns the ruling elite in the imperialist west. Rational and pragmatic economic growth is appealing to most people, even here in the United States especially when people understand what real economic growth and economic degrowth actually mean.
China before communism was feudalism and even those we were able to talk to about ‘that’ couldn’t disagree. Feudalism literally means a so-called decentralized social, economic and political system where landholders which were called lords would grant land to underclass people called serfs in exchange for military service, labor and loyalty.
There were many atrocities committed by the ruling classes throughout that period of domination. Who knows how many millions of people had been killed, died in famines, etc. in feudal societies of the past before communism AND before capitalism.
It is true that capitalism has helped solve some problems while creating others, sometimes as severe or even worse than conditions prior to its’ dominance. Countries such as China and Russia have economic success stories including rising standards of living and pulling hundreds of millions out of abject poverty with their economic growth policies of the past decades.
There are dark times in every society throughout history and no doubt China had its’ share. The U.S. has had many dark times and some would say we are in another phase of dark times as the dominant system of capitalism seems to be breaking down. This is all the more reason to have this important conversation.
According to Professor and Economist Richard Wolff, capitalism has always had its’ critics and always will. Every economic system throughout known history has been born, has developed, and later passes away.
We can always do better and that is still true today. We need to transition to something that allows not only the possibility, but the reality of creating abundance for all. Abundance for EVERYONE. This isn’t a utopian dream.
CPI knows a government of action for working families is what we need here in the U.S. The Center For Political Innovation’s four point economic plan is rational and doable. Innovationism is the new system that can produce ABUNDANCE FOR ALL!
If there is a HEAVENLY EXPERIENCE ON EARTH even with the arts and culture, Innovationism and ABUNDANCE FOR ALL is the way to see that truly made manifest.
Blessings and Peace NOW,
Dan