I think art is a very important weapon to achieve human freedom

The tragic reality of today is reflected in the true plight of our spiritual existence. We are spineless and cannot stand straight.

The whole attitude of society has become much more open and realistic. They realize that the only way to make a more democratic and free society is to let different opinions come out.

I don't belong to a working system. They only select people if you belong to one so you can be controlled.

The freedom of speech is an important yardstick for a society's level of civilization.

China's culture and history are closely related to my living environment. This country is my birthplace. It is also where I grew up. Its culture and history shape my relations with family, friends, society, and daily life.

I never felt like a Chinese citizen because I was pushed away at a very young age. My father, a writer, was a national enemy of the Communist Party. He was forbidden to write for 20 years. We literally lived underground. We dug a hole and lived there for years. My father cleaned public toilets, even though he was a highly respected poet. Nationality and borders are barriers to our intelligence, to our imagination and to all kinds of possibilities.