At 70, he teaches theater and performing arts for children and young people at the university's Humanities and Education School. Before moving to Xi'an, he had performed and directed children's theater in his home country, as well as the United States, Russia, Romania and Germany.

In Xi'an, one of his most significant and emotional artistic moments stemmed from an encounter with local farm workers.

"I was walking around a cultural center where there is a little outdoor theater among other buildings, and a group of local farmers was playing music with traditional instruments," he said. "I was the only audience member, alone in that big outdoor space.

"At the time, I was in a not-so-good period of my life, feeling like I'd lost my passion and interest. These farmers were playing so passionately, and I was watching this man, thinking that I used to be a man with such a passion," he said.