Shen Yun Faces Lawsuits And Scrutiny Over Labor Claims

Deep in the forests of upstate New York, behind security gates and a veil of mystery, sits Dragon Springs—a sprawling 400-acre sanctuary that serves as the creative heart of Shen Yun, the world-renowned stage production known for its vibrant depictions of Chinese history, legends, and politics. But as Shen Yun embarks on its 20th season in 2026, the company faces a storm of controversy, with federal lawsuits, allegations of forced child labor, and an official investigation by New York’s Department of Labor casting a shadow over its celebrated performances.

Dragon Springs is more than just a training ground; it’s a private enclave where faith and art intertwine. According to CBS News, it is here that the Falun Gong spiritual movement—rooted in Buddhist traditions and founded by Li Hongzhi in 1992—has found both refuge and a stage. Falun Gong’s meditation practices spread rapidly across China in the 1990s, but its challenge to the authority of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) led to a sweeping ban in 1999. Beijing labeled the group “public enemy number one,” launching a campaign of persecution that saw countless practitioners imprisoned and tortured. “My mom and my brother was sent to a labor camp,” recounted Ying Chen, a vice president and conductor with Shen Yun, in an interview with CBS News. “He endured 18 months of agony, and his survival was a fragile miracle. He was literally tortured every single day.”

After fleeing to the United States, Li Hongzhi founded Shen Yun in 2006, envisioning it as the highest form of support for the Falun Gong movement. The production quickly gained a reputation for its dazzling choreography and elaborate costumes, touring globally with a message of Chinese culture “before communism.” But behind the curtain, some former performers describe a much darker reality.

Jeff Sun and Ashley Cheng, both raised in Falun Gong families, were sent as teenagers—Sun at 15, Cheng at 13—almost 9,000 miles from their home in New Zealand to train at Dragon Springs. “The entire community I grew up in was very proud of me,” Cheng told CBS News. “They thought it was a great honor to live with Li Hongzhi in that compound.” Sun compared the experience to “making it to Harvard.” But their pride soon gave way to fear and hardship. “Everything was very isolated, and our main job is to dance,” Cheng explained. Communication with the outside world was tightly controlled. “If our parents asked any questions, we had to tell that we were happy, that Master (Li Hongzhi) was taking great care of us.”

Yet, as Sun and Cheng allege, the reality was far from idyllic. They claim they were part of a group of child laborers living under constant pressure and fear. “I was in survival mode,” Cheng recalled. “It’s about not exceeding 100 pounds every day. It’s about following the footsteps of the person in front of me so I don’t get yelled out of line.” Sun described severe physical suffering: “Two kids kind of pushed my legs open in the side split, and it was the most amount of pain I’d ever experienced, ever. I had internal bleeding. My entire inside of my leg, both legs, was purple. But every day I still had to do the same thing.” Cheng suffered nerve damage in her shoulder after being stretched for an abnormal length of time. “I lost all feeling in it. So, I had issues, from showering to going to the bathroom.”

Medical care, they claim, was discouraged—a belief they link to Falun Gong teachings. “Any injury that you have, if you mention that you want to go the hospital, or if you wanted help, it will be denied,” Cheng said. “And it will be quickly, very quickly associated to, ‘You got injured because you disobeyed Li Hongzhi … It is your fault.’” Both were expelled from Shen Yun in 2015, and last spring, they filed one of two federal lawsuits against the organization, alleging forced labor and a lack of medical care. “Every time I think about what happened to me, it kinda breaks me apart, you know? And nobody deserves this. I mean, we’re all kids, you know? We wanted to impress our parents. We wanted to do what we thought was right,” Sun told CBS News.

The lawsuits have drawn international attention, especially as the Chinese government has long targeted Falun Gong and its affiliates. Just this month, the Chinese Embassy issued a statement labeling Shen Yun “a cult’s propaganda,” accusing it of using culture as a cover for indoctrination. Ying Chen, Shen Yun’s spokeswoman, strongly denies the allegations of abuse, suggesting the lawsuits are part of a broader campaign by Beijing to discredit the group. “These lawsuits emerge at a time when Beijing escalated its global campaign against Shen Yun. It’s really hard to see it as a mere coincidence,” Chen told CBS News. She added, “I cannot speak to what they went through. But I just find it very shocking and very different from the practice here and our policies here.”

For the first time, Shen Yun leadership granted media access inside Dragon Springs, perhaps hoping to dispel rumors of secrecy and abuse. CBS News reporters observed young men and women in quiet meditation, separated by gender. “We have very conservative values in the school. So, we usually keep them separate,” Chen explained. She described the environment as “a place that provides top-level dance training, and also it’s a faith-based community.”

Other Shen Yun performers have come forward to challenge the claims of Sun and Cheng. Regina Dong, Shindy Cai, and Piotr Huang, all of whom were sent to Dragon Springs as teenagers, say they were not coerced and deny any lack of medical care. “The CCP has been trying to sabotage us since Day One. We’ve got death threats, bomb threats. And this tactic that they’re using now is very similar to what they were using to persecute Falun Gong,” Dong asserted. Huang added, “Not at all. Now, if they came and tried to drag me away, I wouldn’t go.” He recounted receiving medical attention for an Achilles injury, including an MRI and follow-up care. Cai, meanwhile, attributes her good health to her faith: “I actually do think so, because I almost find it strange sometimes. I’m like, you know, usually I’m supposed to come down with, like, a flu, but never. And I think a lot of it has to do with the energy.”

The debate over Shen Yun’s practices has now reached state authorities. New York’s Department of Labor is actively investigating the group’s working conditions and child labor practices, just as Shen Yun’s 20th anniversary tour unfolds. The company’s annual show, which always ends with a mystical being resembling Li Hongzhi saving a Chinese city from destruction, continues to draw audiences worldwide. But as the legal battles and official scrutiny intensify, the story behind Shen Yun’s dazzling performances is proving to be far more complex—and contentious—than anything seen on stage.

For many, the truth about Dragon Springs and Shen Yun remains elusive, caught between powerful narratives of faith, persecution, and personal sacrifice. As the world watches, the final act of this unfolding drama is yet to be written.