The launch event for the new classic edition of Awakening from a Ten-Year Film Dream: A Biography of Ang Lee, co-organized by the National Central Library and China Times Publishing, was held on December 7, 2025. The venue was filled to capacity, with particularly strong participation from younger readers. The event demonstrated a high level of cross-generational engagement with cinematic art, reading culture, and creative spirit, and infused contemporary humanities dialogue with sincere and warm energy.

In 2002, the late Director-General Ling-pei Chang documented Director Ang Lee’s early creative journey with remarkable sensitivity in Awakening from a Ten-Year Film Dream. Since its publication, the book has deeply moved readers and remains, to this day, the only biography personally endorsed by Director Lee. Twenty-three years later, the new classic edition reunites with readers, taking us back to what Director Lee has described as his “age of innocence”—a beginning that was both arduous and radiant, and an adventure that ultimately led him onto the world stage. A special invitation was extended to the internationally renowned director Ang Lee to visit NCL and share with readers his recollections of working with Ms. Chang during the writing of the book. He also reflected on how he forged a distinctive cinematic language through prolonged periods of struggle and waiting, how he sought his own position between Eastern and Western cultures, and the profound insights he has gained along the way regarding creativity, life, and his lifelong dream of cinema.

In her opening remarks, Director-General Han-ching Wang stated that NCL has long actively collaborated with publishing houses to promote new book launches and themed reading programs, thereby expanding the possibilities of reading promotion. Through the publication of the new classic edition of Awakening from a Ten-Year Film Dream, the event not only invites readers to revisit how a director remained steadfast on his creative path, but also allows an important work to reconnect with its audience. It further symbolizes the partnership between publishers and libraries in bringing high-quality content into the lives of more readers. She also expressed her appreciation to China Times Publishing for its dedication in making it possible for this classic work to be available to readers again. Looking ahead, Director-General Wang noted that the National Central Library will continue to work closely with the publishing community to explore more diverse forms of collaboration. Whether through new book events, special exhibitions, reading education, or cross-disciplinary knowledge services, NCL hopes to jointly broaden the impact of reading culture and bring greater inspiration and possibilities to society.

In his remarks, Director Ang Lee candidly shared that in recent years, seeing young audiences continue to engage in reading and with films at film festivals and cultural events has deeply moved him and rekindled his confidence in creative work. In an era marked by accelerated visual rhythms and fragmented modes of information transmission, he acknowledged that the film industry is currently undergoing a period of uncertainty and transformation. Yet it is precisely under such circumstances, he noted, that the values of “belief” and “innocence” become all the more precious. Reflecting on the nature of creation, Director Lee observed that some things defy rational explanation. The enduring appeal of cinema lies in the fact that it is, quite simply, “fun.” Drawing an analogy to travel, he suggested that filmmaking should not always follow the same route: “Marriage requires fidelity, but filmmaking does not need to be faithful to a single form.” In his view, creative work should allow for experimentation and risk-taking. If one project succeeds, the next should dare to break boundaries and lavishly expend imagination; if experimentation leads to setbacks, one can then return to restraint and subtlety. As long as there is still energy to give, he emphasized, one should continue to explore the unknown—this, he concluded, is the driving force that allows creativity to endure.

Awakening from a Ten-Year Film Dream: A Biography of Ang Lee was first published at a pivotal stage in his creative career, documenting the decade from Pushing Hands to the period just before Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Lee recalls that the writing process unfolded under the guidance and companionship of Director-General Liang-pei Chang, through which he repeatedly revisited and refined his experiences and inner reflections. After extensive revision over a prolonged period, the book became not only an important record of his cinematic practice but also a repository of invaluable life experiences for emerging filmmakers. In the face of rapid technological advancement and the rise of AI, Director Lee offers words of encouragement: what cinema carries is not merely technique or form, but an irreplaceable spiritual energy—the pure conviction that “by undertaking this work, one can change the world.” This sincerity possesses profound emotional resonance and remains a vital force driving humanity’s continual creation and deepening understanding of the world.

At the book-signing session held after the talk, a long queue quickly formed as readers seized the rare opportunity to interact with Director Ang Lee at close range. Whether expressing their long-standing admiration and support, or seeking encouragement and guidance for their own creative journeys, each was met with a warm and sincere response. He took the time to convey his passion and creative energy personally to every reader.

This launch event was not merely about a new book, but a substantive dialogue on the original impulse of creation, the enduring value of reading, and the humanistic spirit. NCL hopes, through cultural programs of this kind, to preserve precious creative memories, foster intergenerational exchange, and, amid a rapidly changing era, safeguard the intellectual depth and spiritual warmth embodied in reading and in video.