Shen Yun is based in New York State, in the rolling hills about two hours outside New York City. It turns out that a revival of traditional Chinese culture could only take place outside of China. In China, the Communist Party has tried to systematically wipe out traditional culture. Campaigns like the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s and 70s have left traditional Chinese culture, especially its spiritual heritage, on the brink of extinction. But in 2006, a group of classically-trained Chinese artists from around the world came together in New York united by a shared mission—to revive traditional Chinese culture through the performing arts. Many of them had well-established careers or were at the top of the performing arts scene in China, but they discovered that true traditional culture could not be revived there—not under a regime that has spent decades trying to destroy it. And so, they created Shen Yun in New York, where they have the freedom to create and perform, to rediscover their lost heritage and share it with the world.