Performers interact with audience for the Moon Song show at the ROEWE·Shanghai Children's Art Theatre (SHCAT). Photo: Courtesy of SHCAT

Editor's Note:

China's human rights stories are unfolding in a new era of comprehensive deepening reform and historic changes. It is a key component of China's poverty alleviation and whole-process people's democracy, a thorough reformation in judicial, medical insurance, and other key sectors related to the national economy and people's livelihoods, as well as a combination of numerous impressive and inspiring individual stories.

To be nurtured in youth, educated, secure gainful employment, receive medical care when ill, cared for in old age, have a place to live, and supported when weak... these are the concrete embodiments of human rights, demonstrating that the greatest human right is the right to the happiness of the people. 

For a long time, politicians and media outlets in a handful of countries have remained hostile and prejudicial toward China, leading to a lack of understanding among foreign audiences when it comes to the concepts and achievements of China's human rights development. But what is revealed in the daily lives of the Chinese people speaks to the most basic truth: Rights to survival and development are fundamental human rights. 

The Global Times is launching a series of articles, telling vivid stories about upholding human rights in the new era. We expect the series to become a window through which more foreign readers will understand how Chinese people recognize human rights and what efforts they have made to fight for and fully enjoy human rights in their daily lives.

Performers interact with audience for the Moon Song show at the ROEWE·Shanghai Children's Art Theatre (SHCAT). Photo: Courtesy of SHCAT

The stage is set: it resembles a spaceship floating in the vastness of the cosmos. Several actors, accompanied by soothing background music and bathed in soft, dim light, hum a gentle melody as they approach the audience seated on stage with them. They seamlessly weave the names of the young spectators into a welcoming “Hello song,” greeting the children through song.

“Hello, Xiaoyuan,” the actors sing as they step in front of the nine-year-old boy, their soft voices enveloping him. Xiaoyuan blinks his big eyes shyly at them, then covers his face with his hands, though a small smile creeps onto his lips.

A few meters away from the stage, Wang, Xiaoyuan’s mother, sit in the “observation area,” looks on, content. Wang notices her son responding to the actors’ interactions and even attempting to engage with them in his own way — a significant breakthrough for this child with autism.

This heartwarming scene recently happened at the ROEWE·Shanghai Children’s Art Theatre (SHCAT), which is a part of the China Welfare Institute. The 45-minute immersive play was uniquely designed for children and teenagers on the autism spectrum. Including Xiaoyuan, six children with autism were invited to sit directly on stage in a circle, or anywhere else they felt comfortable and safe. Throughout the performance, the Global Times reporter saw the children occasionally rising from their seats, even bounding and leaping about, yet no one attempted to restrain them. They moved freely in this space, like little stars roaming the cosmos.

“In this play, I felt my son was surrounded by understanding, acceptance, respect, and love,” Wang told the Global Times after the performance, a smile lighting up her face.

Let the kids ‘be themselves’

The play enjoyed by Xiaoyuan is called Moon Song, an immersive theater experience specifically designed for children and teenagers with autism. This past summer, SHCAT collaborated with the UK-based Bamboozle Theatre Company to bring Moon Song to the stage in Shanghai.

Prior to this, SHCAT and Bamboozle had already partnered to introduce several other immersive productions tailored for children with special needs, including individuals with autism, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy. These performances fall under SHCAT’s “Wish of Starfish,” an art enlightenment welfare project aimed at supporting children with special needs.

The first time Wang took Xiaoyuan to a theater, was to watch a “Wish of Starfish” play named Down to Earth in 2023. This charming interactive play featured a delightful array of vegetables and fruits. Nonetheless, recalling the moment she stepped into the theater with her then 7-year-old son, Wang admits she felt trepidant and uneasy. “Xiaoyuan’s behaviors and emotional responses are different from his peers’, and I was worried he might not be able to sit through the show or might suddenly start crying,” she said. “I was prepared to take him out midway if necessary.”

The awkwardness of being forced to leave mid-performance is something many families with autistic children, including Wang’s, have likely experienced. While ordinary peers can often adhere to certain rules and norms, these can be quite challenging in the world of children with autism, making it difficult for them to participate in most group activities.

To Wang’s surprise, the Down to Earth actors were incredibly warm and welcoming. They remained friendly even when faced with occasional outbursts or wandering little audience members. “I felt that the whole space was very inclusive, and it seemed like, whatever these children [with autism] did here was completely accepted,” Wang told the Global Times.

From that day on, Xioayuan’s family members became big fans of the “Wish of Starfish” project. This summer, when Wang heard that the project’s new play, Moon Song, was set to premiere in China, she immediately signed her son up. Finally, on a Sunday afternoon in August, Xiaoyuan and his parents arrived at the venue, joined by five other families.

Moon Song tells a 45-minute story about Morgan, a child who falls asleep and dreams of going to the moon where they encounter silvery creatures, flying saucers and shooting stars. Welcomed into the performance with relaxing music, audience members are invited to join Morgan on a space-themed adventure. Each performance accommodates only six children with autism, with each child being both an audience member and a part of the play, said Xin Yan, the executive deputy general manager of SHCAT. 

Xin told the Global Times that, during the performance, audience members are encouraged to touch props, move around, and interact freely with the actors. There are no right or wrong ways to engage, no fixed standards, and no “you should do this” or “you can’t do that.” The actors respect every little audience member’s reaction, refraining from comments or interruptions. “In these 45 minutes, we let the kids ‘be themselves,’” she noted.

The Global Times reporter also watched Moon Song that day, seeing Xiaoyuan sat on a soft mat on stage, very close to the actors. As the music shifted between soothing and lively, Xiaoyuan watched the actors’ movements with curiosity, occasionally reaching out to touch the props around him. When an actor extended a drum toward him, Xiaoyuan first touched it cautiously and then tapped it, encouraged by the actor’s encouraging gaze. The boy appeared relaxed and confident throughout the interactions.

Resonating with the audience

Initiated by the China Welfare Institute and operated by SHCAT since 2017, the “Wish of Starfish” project has hosted over 400 performances, welcoming more than 2,500 families of children with special needs. It provides more opportunities for these children to experience the beauty of art and it fills a gap in the domestic performing arts sector for this demographic, said Xin.

The project has introduced four original productions from Bamboozle, including Moon Song. Some of these performances are presented in English, while others, like Moon Song, have been adapted into Chinese, said Chen Xianxian, an actress from SHCAT who participated in the production.

The localization of these plays in China goes far beyond mere language translation. Chen recalls the collaborative effort between SHCAT and Bamboozle to adapt Moon Song, meticulously working on everything from translating lines and lyrics to ensuring that props and music align seamlessly with the SHCAT theater’s atmosphere. “Bamboozle told us that the goal is not for Chinese actors to replicate the British version, but to find a performance style that resonates with Chinese audiences,” Chen shared with the Global Times.

Speaking of the creation of a theater specifically aimed at children with special needs, Christopher Davies, co-founder of Bamboozle, expressed the desire to foster a relaxed environment for these children and their families. “[We want to create] an ‘enabled space,’ where children are enabled to interact with the world freely,” he told the Global Times. “Whatever they do, they become part of the story.”

Davies has been a long-time friend of the “Wish of Starfish” project. Since its inception in 2017, he has frequently brought his team to Shanghai to perform alongside SHCAT actors for children with special needs. Before the Sunday performance of Moon Song, a pair of parents approached Davies with their son, Taotao, to express their gratitude.

At just 13 years old, Taotao had first attended a Bamboozle performance presented by the “Wish of Starfish” project when he was only seven. Over the years, these plays have accompanied his growth and conquered his family’s heart. During the Moon Song performance on Sunday, the Global Times reporter saw Taotao run excitedly around the theater, completely absorbed in the experience. No one stopped him.

His parents praised the welcoming environment of the theater. His father said that from the professional work of theater volunteers, to the picture books and folding paper in the relaxation area, as well as the warmth and attentiveness of the actors and staff, they felt respected and accepted at every moment.

Autistic children like Taotao often struggle to integrate into group activities. The father recalled that, they had previously tried taking Taotao to regular theaters or having him join in some outdoor events for ordinary children. However, the boy’s unusual behaviors usually made other participants feel awkward and left the father feeling embarrassed.

“Luckily, charitable performances like Moon Song are like a small window into the warmth and inclusiveness of the whole society,” he told the Global Times.

Can theatrical performances truly be effective in healing autistic children? Yu Fei, a director of a Shanghai-based institution specializing in autism rehabilitation, offers a broadly affirmative response.

Yu said that at present, the broad category of “art therapy” lacks sufficient rigorous research to definitively prove its benefits for interventions of patients with autism, still, interventions are only one part of a child’s life. 

“Art, particularly participatory theatrical forms filled with patient guidance and integration in interactions, is undoubtedly an excellent supplementary approach,” he told the Global Times. “It serves as a wonderful ‘transition’ for children with special needs, and fully aligns with the normal developmental patterns of childhood.”

Increasing focus and support

The white paper “Seeking Happiness for People: 70 Years of Progress on Human Rights in China,” released in 2019, underscores the nation’s commitment to protecting the rights of special groups. The social security system for persons with disabilities is improving, and rehabilitation is widely available to persons with disabilities, noted the white paper.

In China, from the government to all sectors of society, there is a growing awareness and care for children with special needs, including those with autism.

In July 2024, the Ministry of Education, the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, and other departments jointly released an action plan for autism care and education promotion, covering the years 2024 to 2028. The plan calls for a five-year effort to enhance the support mechanisms and service systems for children with autism, including measures to strengthen inclusive education.

Under the guidance of the nation-level plan, concrete policies and programs to care for autistic children have begun to spring up. In Xiamen of East China’s Fujian Province, for instance, local authority has pledged that by 2026, each district of the city will have at least one tertiary or higher-level medical institution providing autism diagnosis and rehabilitation services, Xiamen Daily reported on May 30. 

In Yongkang, East China’s Zhejiang Province, families of autistic children can receive up to 30,000 yuan ($4,204) a year in rehabilitation reimbursement, plus a 500-yuan monthly subsidy to ease the financial burden, according to the website of Zhejiang Provincial Department of Finance. 

Arts initiatives like “Wish of Starfish” are also spreading nationwide, with media reports from provinces including Shandong, Heilongjiang and Guangdong have highlighted charity music, painting and dance programs serving autistic children.

As a project aiming to enlighten and educate children with special needs through the arts, over the years, “Wish of Starfish” has received support from the government, foundations, social organizations, and businesses in terms of policy, funding, and manpower. Xin explained that, as a public welfare project, the performances of “Wish of Starfish” are free for the target audience and their families. Therefore, the project’s sustainability throughout the years has been made possible with support from all sectors of society. “I have clearly felt that in recent years, support for us has been increasing, and there is growing attention toward children with special needs,” she said.

With this increased focus and support, “Wish of Starfish” has ventured beyond Shanghai for the first time this summer, performing in nearby cities like Nanjing, East China’s Jiangsu Province. Xin said that in the future, they plan to reach even more locations, allowing more children with special needs across the country to experience the magic of theater and illuminate their own artistic stars.

During the Moon Song performance, Wang watched as her son, Xiaoyuan, made an effort to respond to the actors, greeting them with a cheerful “hello.” As the performance drew to a close, the actors sang a “Goodbye song” that included the names of the little audience members, bidding them farewell.

In the midst of the song, Xiao Yuan suddenly burst into tears, and Wang’s eyes glistened with tears as well. “He loved it here; he didn’t want to leave,” she said.