Meng Jinghui is one of the co-founders of the Wuzhen Theatre Festival. As its 10th anniversary unfolds in east China's Zhejiang Province, CGTN's Wang Siwen sat down with Meng, one of China's leading theater directors, to discuss this year's highlights. 

WANG SIWEN CGTN Reporter "Let's talk about your bond with Wuzhen. As the Theater Festival celebrates its 10th year, what are your feelings after this decade-long journey?"

MENG JINGHUI Co-founder and Artistic Director, Wuzhen Theater Festival "To be honest, I didn't think about 10 years later at the beginning. Wuzhen Theater Festival has received so much attention and care from so many people, especially young people, who are willing to start their theater journey at this festival. You find this place is full of small bridges and flowing water, delicious food, singing and laughter. Then you walk into the theater, you are completely immersed in drama's ocean. It seems like it's not common in our daily life, but when it happens you take the chance, then you feel it's so beautiful."

WANG SIWEN Reporter "This year's theme is 'Arise,' signifying a new beginning after a decade-long journey. Help us understand the word 'arise'."

MENG JINGHUI Co-founder and Artistic Director, Wuzhen Theater Festival "In fact, I think it is beginning. 10 years is not an end. It is a beginning. When it began, it started standing and walking, so I think 'arise' is quite meaningful."

WANG SIWEN Reporter "The Emerging Artists Competition is a central component of the Wuzhen Theater Festival, providing a platform for these artists to be seen. In your opinion, what do they need the most at this moment?"

MENG JINGHUI Co-founder and Artistic Director, Wuzhen Theater Festival "Young people now have too many resources, which are too complicated and messy. We didn't have any resources at that time, so if we had one resource, we expanded it. When they do creation, young people are interested in everything, but that couldn't help them find the thing they like. It has to be deeper, stronger, which depends on the creator's understanding. It's a complicated thing. Any young person has struggles, but each of them when they ask questions, do you think they already know the answers themselves?"

WANG SIWEN Reporter "You've been involved in producing new plays over the past two years, such as '24 Hours in a Woman's Life.' What are your thoughts and reflections during this period? How do you handle external voices after creating something new?"

MENG JINGHUI Co-founder and Artistic Director, Wuzhen Theater Festival "In fact, I didn't think too much about it. I used my own habits to do dramas. I studied in the Chinese Department when I was in college. As a graduate student, I studied directing, focusing on experimental theater exploration, and then I went to National Theater of China and started my creation. One of my personal characteristics is willingness to fool around on stage, but from another perspective, I want to do something unusual. I am willing to work with my team to create something unique, of our own. What is finally presented may be fancy language, or vibrant stage work. But most important, is what we want to pursue behind the scenes. Where do we come from in this world? Where are we going and what is our future? In fact, we want to get an answer from our own hearts through the poetic things that we can create on stage."