I am originally from Changzhou, a city in southeastern China with a rich history dating back to its founding in 547 BCE. Growing up, I was immersed in the Changzhou Dialect of Wu Chinese, a language unintelligible to Standard Mandarin and distinct from the language of the neighboring towns. My city is renowned for its well-documented cultural heritages, such as traditional Changzhou poetry recitation and the Buddhist chants of Tianning Temple. However, like many cultural traditions, both my native language and these local practices are at risk of extinction in the 21st century, facing challenges from the rapidly changing world.

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The situation in my hometown mirrors countless others around the globe. I firmly believe that these cultural heritages, while under threat, still possess significant value for contemporary culture. Rather than allowing these traditions to be merely preserved in museums or academic studies, I advocate for their reimagining into new forms of art without losing their intrinsic essence. My mission is to create authentic and meaningful contemporary art that remains deeply connected to our roots, blending an intuitive and intellectual understanding of our past to forge a rich and meaningful future.