Spotlight On Writers
Yucheng Tao
- Where do you originate from?
My hometown is Nanjing, China, a city with an extraordinarily long history as a capital of many dynasties; therefore it has so many layers associated with it. I am currently in Los Angeles and attending a music school in Hollywood studying for a songwriting degree. I love living in Los Angeles but I am still very much connected to Nanjing through the streets, through the past, and through the stories, and it is a huge part of who I am.
- What do you cherish most about the place you call home?
I can tell you honestly that the greatest value I see in Nanjing is the natural beauty surrounding the city. The climate of Nanjing is generally characterized by warm, humid weather with abundant vegetation; much like Portland, Oregon. The close proximity to Suzhou and Hangzhou, both of which are internationally known water towns that are filled with rivers and bridges, as well as greenery, adds to the natural beauty of Nanjing. There is also an extensive amount of cultural heritage associated with Nanjing, such as the ancient tradition of performing guqin(yin-drum) music; guqin is elegant, soft, and has significantly influenced Nanjing’s overall identity.
- What ignites your creativity?
Rereading this part of my post made me realize that when I think of creative inspiration it generally starts with an experience. Sometimes it may derive from my location in which I am located, what I will observe around me, or maybe just a particular feeling I got for no reason. However, I tend to focus on the darker aspects of human history but also share those same feelings with everyone.
You can feel the world is alive based on opposites—usually referred to as chaos or balance. In fact, having an epiphany and observing the breathing action of a flower may activate my creative thoughts and I will try to capture that thought as soon as I can; then once I have captured it I will delve into it more deeply after some period of time has passed.
- Do you have a favorite word, and could you incorporate it into a poetic phrase?
I think my favourite word would be flower. There is something very gentle about the way flowers exist in the world yet they are also very beautiful in their own right.
“The flower did not wait for us—yet we could not have missed it.”
There are some instances in your life when you have suddenly seen something in front of you, only to realize that if you had just had the confidence to keep your eyes open you would have seen it before.
- What is your pet peeve?
I can’t stand life or art being too formulaic. Just like walking from point A to point B simply because you have to do so, or creating music or poetry by imitating others’ works. Feel empty. Creativity should be about discovery, adventure and surprise. If it is merely repeated, it loses all its meaning. Life and art should be a journey, not a checklist.
- How would you describe the essence of Yucheng Tao?
I want to say that I’m a mixture of two sides. When inspiration strikes, I am emotional and intuitive, just like a tide. But when nothing has happened, I can sit quietly and rationally by the window and think. There is no clear boundary between the two – just as time does not exist. Perhaps my essence is like a lost cat, wandering between thoughts and feelings. Perhaps there is no single essence at all – human beings are complex and rarely unified.
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