Meeting of Gods: The School House Programme Meeting of Gods: The School House Programme Meeting of Gods: The School House Programme

by Danny Yung in August 2025

I am going out—packing this and that. Don’t forget the IDs. Here I go now, heading out. Why must I need the IDs? And so, I walked out the door, and I thought – one must learn the lesson of “doors” – the difference between inside and outside. Why is there a difference between being in and being out? I hence started to think about different framing – the doorframe, the window frame. How structurally different are they? I was clearly overthinking. Going away doesn’t make a journey. But stepping out, now that, is basic.

I’m going away. Poor me. I’m still searching for the most intelligent mind to learn about folly. Poor me. I’m still searching for the wisest man, just to discuss what “searching” means. I was packing this and that, oblivious of the fact that purposes do not always precede departures. There’s no need to conjure up meanings for going away. I started to forget what makes muscle memory. So here I go. At that instant I crossed the threshold, the wind blew and lightning struck. The Nine Suns. No big quakes. No big waves. Wisdom and intelligence are of the imaginary. Outside, the clouds stretch for thousands of miles. The vast world beyond is full of wonders. Even an end without a beginning can make stories. I started to hum an old tune. I was over the moon – as happy as I pleased, though I can’t say why joy so often walks hand-in-hand with pleasure. Speaking of wisdom and intelligence, they should have been thrown away in Java. Poor me.

I am getting out. Maybe I would find another you, or maybe, my other self. What was it like before finding you? And what would it be like after finding myself? Why bother asking such questions? I was packing this and that, making peace with the decision that there won’t be any obsession with looking back. No regrets. You’re thinking too much. Going out means bidding the tasteless past farewell, leaving behind sorrow and obsession. Misery has no form. Farewell. Please don’t be mad.

I am going out. I was never Nora, nor Du Liniang. Their stages were never my stage. My stage is something else. I only know I must go out. I would enter a stage with no sci-fi, no machinery, no constraints or no boundaries. I am crossing into a world with no presumptions, no coordinates, no borders.

I’m going out, just heading out for some air. I can’t bear the low pressure and the stagnant air. It’s forty degrees in Tokyo today. Yesterday, it was fourteen degrees in Vancouver. Folly and wisdom. What are signs? What are labels? I was packing this and that, with no map in hand and forgetting my phone. Little did I care for departures and arrivals. And here I am, going out. At the moment I cross, I seem to have seen myself drifting like a non-symbolic apparition, without the need for a dramatic escape or obsessive pursuits. And at that very instant I crossed, I heard your whisper. Then I began to write. Words, oh words. As the breakdown begins, I indulge in writing, enclosing myself in the prison of words and methods.

I thought I must confess to the most intelligent mind; I must confide in the wisest man. But I knew that was divertissement. Honestly, I’m ready to leave the “present,” even though I know I’ve yet to fully grasp what the “present” is or the method of “searching” it. I am picking this and that through my bookshelf, turning off all the lights, putting out every flame. I take no umbrella, trying to shake off my discomposure, whether there be storms outside or not. This is how I’ve held nothing back in making “doors.” I’ve made exits and entrances. And at that moment of crossing, a tempest brews in mind. Under the vast open sky, all grudges now seem insignificant.

I am stepping out. Please remind me. What must I know besides safety?

Questions Regarding Art, Culture and Education
Let Students Share, Compare, and Analyse Further

In the “Question” workshop that began in May, participants from Hong Kong initially raised eighteen questions regarding art, culture, and education. They then developed twelve subtopics, resulting in combinations such as art market, cultural policy, and educational taboos. These terms serve as the starting point, sharing, comparison, and analysis throughout this academy.

“We are all concerned about art, culture, and education. Therefore we begin with these three categories by raising preliminary questions. Questioning is, in fact, a form of recognition of the self. Each young student from Hong Kong can raise three preliminary questions regarding each category. Through self-exploration/discussion, we will not only gain an understanding of each young artist’s positioning but also clarify the focus of the questions.

In the second phase, these three main categories will be divided into twelve subtopics. Everyone is welcome to select three subtopics from the twelve and combine them with reference to the three main categories to develop three other questions. In the process, everyone’s input will be considered while one must learn to integrate the spirit of exploration into collective questioning. These “questions,” after thinking, discussion and revision, form parts of the content and make frameworks for this learning experience.”

by Danny Yung in 2025

Hong Kong / Founding member cum Co-Artistic Director of Zuni Icosahedron; an experimental arts pioneer, the most influential artist in Hong Kong and the neighbouring regions.

In 2014, Yung was the laureate of the 2014 Fukuoka Prize – Arts and Cultural Prize. In 2009, Yung was conferred the Merit Cross of the Order of Merit on Ribbon by the Federal Republic of Germany in recognition of his contribution to the arts and cultural exchange between Germany and Hong Kong. In 2008, with Tears of Barren Hill he was honoured with the Music Theatre NOW Award by UNESCO’s International Theatre Institute.

Singapore / Intercultural Theatre Director

Liu Xiao-yi is an artist, curator, educator, and cultural strategist based in Singapore. He is the Artistic Director of the theatre collective Emergency Stairs and is widely regarded as one of the leading figures in contemporary experimental theatre and intercultural exchange in Asia.

Tokyo / Contemporary Performing Artist

Born in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.

1983: Joined the performance group Pappa TARAHUMARA.

2006: Began his solo career.

2008, 2010, 2018: Served as a guest professor in the choreography department at Korea National University of the Arts.

Phnom Penh / Cambodian Classical and Contemporary Dance Artist

Rady NGET began his dance training in 1999, specializing in the monkey role of Lakhaon Kaol, the Cambodian classical male masked dance form. He has been dancing with Cambodia’s premiere contemporary dance company, the Amrita Performing Arts since 2010. As a classical and contemporary dancer, Nget has toured to Europe and Asia. In addition to performing in a broad range of contemporary productions, NGET has created a number of his own works.

Beijing / Young Peking Opera Actor (Wusheng Role)

Graduated from the Bachelor of Performing (Dramatic Performing in Beijing Opera), National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts. He has followed the tutor’s suit of Zhou Long and Ma Yuzhang.
He is currently a teacher at the affiliated secondary school of the China National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts.

Graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. Performance, installation, and painting are the main mediums in Cheng’s art practice. His experiences in the performing arts have inspired him to incorporate theatrical elements into his sculptures and installation works. He hopes to explore the collective sentiments and experiences shared between himself and urban dwellers through artistic creation.

Graduated from The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2024. During her studies, she participated in multiple theatre productions, taking roles as performer, dancer, and assistant producer. She completed a two-year Professional Physical Theatre Youth Training Programme (PTI) by Tang Shu-wing Theatre Studio in 2025. Cheung is dedicated to learning and exploring diverse possibilities in performance.

Graduated from the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, majoring in social work, and completed The Vibrated Self inter-cultural acting training programme by Blank Space Studio in 2025. Cheung is now a freelance performer and also contributed to V.O. projects.

Graduated from the Hong Kong Baptist University, with a bachelor’s degree in Social Science majoring in Psychology. Mok later completed the Radix Troupe, Full-time All-round Dramatic Arts Training (2-year Scheme). He is now a freelance performer.

Previously studied physical performance at the Tang Shu-wing Theatre Studio and Théâtre de la Feuille. He became one of the participants in Open Research Week run by the Unlock Dancing Plaza, where he learned and practised artistic creation, and received funding to publish his second work. Ray has also studied Japanese Butoh with Vinci Mok.

Graduated from the Department of Cultural and Religious Studies of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (major in Cultural Studies). Wong has been the art administrative coordinator of Cinemtic Theatre.

Currently studying the Bachelor of Arts in Contemporary Chinese Theatres at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts|University of the Arts Singapore (NAFA|UAS). She has systematically studied the Stanislavski acting system and improvisation, and has a deep understanding of contemporary theatre. Chen Yitong excels at shaping the layers of a character through detailed portrayals. She believes that acting is a window to interpreting different lives.

Currently studying the Bachelor of Arts in Contemporary Chinese Theatres at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts|University of the Arts Singapore (NAFA|UAS), she excels at interpreting emotions through body language. Additionally, she is actively involved in video creation and art research, possessing keen observation skills and deep thinking abilities. She has published articles in the journal Art Exchange. As a creator passionate about expression and exploration, she also engages in short video scriptwriting and directing, striving to capture the boundaries of thought and emotion through the language of video.

Currently studying the Bachelor of Arts in Contemporary Chinese Theatres at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts|University of the Arts Singapore (NAFA|UAS), where he was awarded a full scholarship during his studies. Adhering to the motto “Criticize oneself and never cage oneself”, he has been deeply engaged in the fields of drama and film for many years.

Born in Shanghai in 2001 and now lives in Singapore. He is involved in theatre performance, photography, and sound design, and is currently studying the Bachelor of Arts in Contemporary Chinese Theatres at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts|University of the Arts Singapore (NAFA|UAS). He has participated in the first Emergency Staris performance workshop, Emergency Staris Camp and Li Xie’s Meyerhold Method Performance Workshop. He performs with an eye for detail, believing in the influence of life awareness and physical sensitivity on the vividness of a performance, and holds the view that imagination determines the level of characterisation.

Qing Xin graduated from the Diploma in Theatre (Mandarin Drama) from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and is currently pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Contemporary Chinese Theatres at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts|University of the Arts Singapore (NAFA|UAS). With a strong passion for physical exploration and literary creation, she has trained in Viewpoints, Meyerhold’s Biomechanics, and Chinese classical dance. In her daily life, she attunes herself to the subtle connections between people and objects, drawing creative inspiration from these observations. Moving forward, she intends to experiment with integrating traditional arts into contemporary theatre practice.

Chu Hang’s journey in theatre began during his high school years, where co-curricular activities sparked a deep passion that has since developed into a meaningful career pursuit. Over the years, He has embraced a wide range of roles within the theatre, including acting, teaching, directing, poetry recitation, emceeing, stage management, sound operation, and various backstage responsibilities. These experiences have broadened his understanding of the craft and deepened his commitment to collaborative theatre-making.

In discussing the origins of “Meeting of the Gods,” Danny Yung shared its link to the Yuan dynasty piece “Record of Ghosts,” which highlights many creative figures from that time.
This inspired Danny Yung’s 1996 performance of “Feeding The Hungry Ghosts,” where he explored the artist’s role as both ghost and deity, as well as the connection between artists and society.

In 2005, Danny Yung organised the Meeting of the Gods – Festival of Experimenting Traditions 2005 inviting traditional Chinese theatre (xiqu) performers to participate in exchanges and artistic performances. At the same time, the “Experimental Tradition” research and in parallel reflecting on how performance relates to the social and historical backdrop it arises from.

“Each time we met, it would be like looking into the mirror; and everything reflected from it could all be the future audience who had been performers, and vice versa, that is performers who would become audience in the future. Everybody is looking at/for the past and the future in the mirror, searching and transcending, mischievously changing the rules of the game into another legend of doing this doing that.”

——An excerpt from Meeting of Gods: Festival of Experimenting Traditions 2005 by Danny Yung (2005)

Artistic Director, Director, Designer: Danny YUNG
Associate Director: LIU Xiaoyi (Singapore)
Cross-Cultural Performing Artists: MATSUSHIMA Makoto (Tokyo), Rady NGET (Phnom Penh), REN Jiale (Beijing)

Sound: YU Yat Yiu, Steve HUI aka Nerve
Video: Vanessa LEE

Students (NAFA|University of the Arts Singapore): CHEN Yitong, LIAO Yanni, LUO Hanwen, MENG Jiaoyang, TAY Qing Xin, ZHUANG Chu-hang

Students (Hong Kong): Lawrence CHENG Pak Lun, CHEUNG Cheuk Mei, CHEUNG Man Yung Alice, MOK Dick Long, Ray TANG, WONG Lok Ki

Observers (Mainland China): WANG Honghao, WANG Mengjie, YUAN Lan

Assistant Artistic Director: Cedric Chan
Creative Coordinator: CHUK Yin Man

Lighting Design: MAK Kwok Fai
Sound Design: CHUNG Fong Ting
Costume Design: Beijing Jing Ya Art Studio Stage Costume Company (Beijing)

Senior Manager (Production and Technical): CHOW Chun Yin
Technical Coordinator / Video Operation: Johnny SZE
Stage Manager: Onki CHAN
Deputy Stage Manager: Zeta CHAN
Assistant Stage Manager: Megan HUNG
Wardrobe: Bonnie CHAN
Stage Assistant: WONG Kin Hin
Creative Assistant: Chloe LI

Interns: Qin Chuqi, Lei Jiabao, Pi Yiting, Poon Cheuk Laam

Special Thanks: NG Kwok Wa, YUENG Kin Ping, Jason KONG

International Exchange Director / Producer: WONG Yuewai

General Manager (Administration and Finance): Jacky CHAN
General Manager (Programme): Doris KAN
Senior Manager (Programme): Bowie CHOW
Administration Manager: Colin CHENG
Programme and Promotion Manager: Momoko NG
Assistant Manager (Programme): Niki LUK
Front of House Assistant: Yumi HUI

PR & Publicity: Luka WONG
Ticketing & Digital Marketing: HO Yin Hei
Graphic Design (promotion): TN PEAKCOCK
Graphic Design for Promotion: XIAO Ruting, Venesse SIM

Photo Documentation: Nobby CHUNG, Tree LO, Ebohom LIGA

Artistic Director, Curator: Danny YUNG

Curator: Mathias WOO

Curriculum Curators: YU Yat Yiu, Cedric CHAN

Guest Artists (Instructor): MATSUSHIMA Makoto, LIU Xiaoyi, Rady NGET, Steve HUI (aka Nerve)

Guest Artist (Work / Lesson Plan Appreciation): John WONG

Guest Artist (Demonstration / Guided Performance): REN Jiale

Instructor (Mindfulness through movement), Senior Researcher: Theresa LEUNG

Instructor (Basics of Experimental Arts – Technology / Theatre ABC – Lighting): MAK Kwok Fai

Instructor (Theatre ABC – Sound): CHUNG Fong Ting

Instructor (Theatre ABC – Stage): CHOW Chun Yin

Instructor (Theatre ABC – Video): Johnny SZE

Coordinator: CHUK Yin Man

Hong Kong Students: Lawrence CHENG Pak Lun, CHEUNG Cheuk Mei, CHEUNG Man Yung Alice, MOK Dick Long,
Ray TANG, WONG Lok Ki

Singapore Students: CHEN Yitong, LIAO Yanni, LUO Hanwen, MENG Jiaoyang, TAY Qingxin, ZHUANG Chuhang

Mainland China Students: WANG Honghao, WANG Mengjie, YUAN Lan

Photo Documentation: Ricky CHENG, William LEE, Tree LO

Special Guest from NAFA: Dr. Ernest LIM Hung Choong (Dean, Faculty of Performing Arts), Dr. Nellie SENG (Associate Dean, School of Music), Mr. WONG Sun Tat (Head of Chinese Instrumental Studies), Ms. Susan YEUNG How Wah (Associate Dean, School of Dance), Mr. REI Poh Cheng Leong (Associate Dean, School of Theatre)

Guest Speaker: Prof. KWOK Kian Woon (Vice-Chancellor, University of the Arts Singapore)

Respondent Speaker: Prof. Anna CY CHAN (Director, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts)

Host: Prof. CHANG Ping-hung (Research Director, Hong Kong Development and Strategic Research Centre)