Writer Appreciates Recognition of True Chinese Culture

By Diana Matthias
Epoch Times Staff Created: January 13, 2009 Last Updated: January 14, 2009

Dr Canfield, a China expert, sharing his thoughts about the show. (Mark Zou/The Epoch Times)

SAN FRANCISCO—After seeing the Divine Performing Arts (DPA) Chinese New Year Spectacular at San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House on Sunday, Dr. Roger Canfield, a writer and political analyst, had this to say:
“The whole thing, it’s uplifting—the bright colors, the great music and the great movements of dance…. It’s obviously a reflection of the five thousand years of Chinese history and culture, and of course that’s what it intends to do, and that’s what it’s doing very well for people like me who, you know, were not raised that way."
Now retired, Dr. Canfield is a former daily political columnist for the Sacramento Union and former host of a radio talk show, "Under the Dome." His articles have appeared in such publications as Military magazine, Human Events, National Review, New American, Dispatches, WorldNet Daily and many newspapers.
During his tenure as executive director of the U.S. Intelligence Council, Dr. Canfield co-authored the book, China Doll: Clinton, Gore and the Selling of the U.S. Presidency, with USIC Chairman Richard A. Delgaudio.
He also wrote China’s Trojan Horse, about the Chinese spy network in the United States, and Stealth Invasion which exposes the threat America faces from the China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO) and Beijing's growing web of other fronts operating  in the U.S.
Dr. Canfield also served as a public policy consultant for the California legislature from 1980-2000. He has studied communism extensively, and received the "Medal of Patriotic Commander" from the families and survivors of the Nicaragua Resistance honoring his assistance in the liberation of the Nicaraguan people from communist rule.
The New York-based DPA is composed of a unique group of leading artists who share in a vision of reviving Chinese traditional culture which has been all but destroyed under communist rule. Dr. Canfield said it’s important for people to understand this.
"I think it does a more subtle message of introducing the American people to the Chinese culture, which of course is different. So that’s important to do and to see that there is a human side to the Chinese that’s not communist, and it’s not a threat to us. Communism and Chinese communism is a threat to us but Chinese people are not, and we pray for their success in acquiring freedom and being able to live their lives as they see fit.”
Divine Performing Arts takes it’s inspiration from 5,000 years of Chinese culture and has many ethnic Chinese dances and dances depicting Chinese myths and legends. Dr. Canfield said he appreciated that the show included dances from Tibet and Mongolia.
There are also dances that deal with issues in contemporary China, where spiritual belief is persecuted. One such story shows a father of a young girl being persecuted by the communist party for his belief in the spiritual practice of Falun Gong, which has been persecuted by the regime since 1999.
“[Communism] is evil, and it’s done a lot of evil throughout history, not only in China but every other place,” said Dr. Canfield.