Shen Yun Artist Awarded King Charles III Coronation Medal

TORONTO—Tia Zhang, a former instructor at Canada’s top ballet school and an artist with the world-renowned Shen Yun Performing Arts, has been awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal.

Zhang, who was a ballet dancer in China, immigrated to Canada over four decades ago and went on to teach at the National Ballet School in Toronto for more than 20 years. She later dedicated herself to reviving classical Chinese dance and culture with Shen Yun, the New York-based performing arts company that tours globally each year.

For many years, Zhang served as a tour manager for one of Shen Yun’s troupes, overseeing international performances and supporting the company’s mission. She now teaches at New York’s Fei Tian College, where Shen Yun performers receive their professional training.

Kevin Vuong, MP for Spadina-Fort York who presented the medal to Zhang at Toronto City Hall on Feb. 13, noted that thanks to Zhang’s contributions, the world has the opportunity to experience the art showcased by Shen Yun.

“Toronto, through Tia, has a hand in the world being able to consume and see Shen Yun and the magic that comes through the dance, through the performance. It’s something that I think is so important to acknowledge and to celebrate,” Vuong said during the award ceremony.

“That brings me pride as a Torontonian. That brings me pride as a Canadian.”

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The King Charles III Coronation Medal was created to commemorate Charles’s coronation in May 2023, and is awarded to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to Canadian society.

Speaking at the ceremony, Zhang said the medal also recognizes Shen Yun’s contributions to Canadian society through its sharing of ancient wisdom and values deeply rooted in traditional Chinese culture. She added that many Shen Yun artists cultivate inner purity through practicing Falun Gong whose principles of “truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance” are drawn from this ancient culture and shine through in the performances.

Liberal MP Judy Sgro said Zhang’s work at Shen Yun Performing Arts, sharing the richness of China’s age-old traditions with the world, makes her “a beacon of cultural preservation.”

“This is a well-deserved recognition of your unwavering dedication to promoting the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, as well as your tireless efforts in preserving and revitalizing traditional Chinese culture within our Canadian community,” Sgro wrote.

Conservative Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman commended Zhang’s efforts in “preserving important cultural history through dance and Shen Yun,” noting that her dedication has not only brought “joy and enlightenment to millions,” but also played a vital role in defending values such as freedom, democracy, and justice amid malign attacks.

Conservative MP Garnett Genuis also commended Zhang for her “unwavering stand against the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners” in China and her advocacy for human rights, noting that she has made “a lasting impact.”

“Your role in bringing Shen Yun to life has given audiences a rare opportunity to experience the beauty of Chinese culture. Your contributions not only preserve an invaluable heritage but also reflect Canada’s values of freedom and justice,” Genuis wrote.

Toronto City Councillor James Pasternak applauded Zhang’s dedication to the performing arts over the past 60 years, saying in a letter, “The city of Toronto is proud of individuals who have made a difference in their communities through their unique skills and talents, touching the lives of others and making a tremendous difference.”

Falun Gong, first introduced publicly in China in 1992, has been subjected to a brutal persecution campaign by the CCP since 1999. The regime has used arbitrary imprisonment, forced labour, physical, sexual, and mental abuse, and live organ harvesting of practitioners as part of its campaign. More recently, the CCP introduced new strategies involving the use of lawfare and disinformation to target Falun Gong practitioners abroad.

Shen Yun’s mission to revive traditional Chinese culture—largely destroyed by the CCP after it took control in 1949—and highlight human rights oppression in modern China has made it a growing target of threats, harassment, and smear campaigns. According to its website, over 130 such incidents have been reported worldwide since Shen Yun was established in 2006.

“Shen Yun’s explicit mission is to revive traditional Chinese culture, the very culture the Communist Party has spent decades trying to destroy in order to make room for its own ideology,” the dance company says.

During Shen Yun’s 2024 tour in Vancouver, a local theatre where it was scheduled to perform received a bomb threat, a spokesperson from the Vancouver Police Department told The Epoch Times. A document submitted to Canada’s Foreign Interference Inquiry noted that the case is “likely orchestrated by the CCP,” adding that similar bomb threats have been reported in the United States and Taiwan.

As the dance group continues its 2025 world tour, similar threats have surfaced, including a threatening email sent to a theatre in France in early February.

When asked about such threats in Canada, MP Vuong emphasized Canadians’ right to be free from harassment and intimidation, adding that the CCP’s transnational repression “is a real issue” in Canada.

“I don’t see why anyone should be afraid to see an incredible performance of art and culture in this country,” he told The Epoch Times. “Canadian pluralism is one where different cultures come together, united through shared values and democratic values, but also in freedom and liberty. So everyone should have the freedom to be able to enjoy all that Shen Yun has to offer.”

Having seen Shen Yun last year at Toronto’s Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Vuong said he plans to see the performance again when it returns in March.

Petr Svab and Eva Fu contributed to this report.