CHEYENNE, Wyo.—China’s culture before communism is captured spectacularly by Shen Yun Performing Arts. Matthew Martinez, a physician from Colorado, felt that Chinese culture is one with many universal values. Specifically, Mr. Martinez was referring to China’s connection to the divine. “I think that’s a universal message across many cultures. So that makes it reach out to people from all kinds of backgrounds,” he said. New York-based Shen Yun strives to give its audience a true narrative of China in the past as well as the present. The company portrays the divine and the persecution of Falun Gong in its performances, making them banned from bringing the production to China. “I found myself very moved by the idea that practicing spirituality is forbidden and punished in severe ways and that was just overwhelming at times,” Mr. Martinez said. He added that the people of the United States would benefit from seeing …