To survive, China had to open up to the West. It could not survive otherwise. This was after many millions have died of hunger in a country that was like North Korea is today. Once we became part of global competition, we had to agree to some rules. It's painful, but we had to. Otherwise there was no way to survive.

[Cultural departments] don't care about culture. Maybe they're the furthest from the people who understand culture.

Every day I'm learning something new from the practice. It's very rewarding.

I remember one little rainy day I went searching for this apartment and I saw so many people standing on a stoop on the corner in the rain. Later I realized, that was drug traffic. They were all buying drugs.

I can still wake up the next day and feel that there's something that needs to be done, which always amuses me.

Once you've tasted freedom, it stays in your heart...

It doesn't matter where I am - China will stay in me. I don't know how far I can still walk on this road and what is the limit.