Primary school students try to act out their imitations of creatures in a workshop by the center. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A defining moment

Ke clearly recalls his first meeting with what he considered the "cool", long-haired art teacher who, in his first class, compared an artist's job to that of a divine creator.

Decades later, his teacher's words still ring in his ears: "Do you know what kind of job you will be doing in the future? That is like god's job. Facing a blank piece of paper, a piece of chaotic mud, an empty room, you are god, and you have to create beautiful things in your mind."

Ke says: "That moment defined my fate and belief."

Encouraged by his master, Ke then explored various fields like painting, animation, film and television, until he found his true love: drama and the stage, and its "unlimited potential".

In 2017, his art center was acknowledged by the faculty of Tsinghua University High School. Work carried out by the center was designated a required course among their students. Last year, the center expanded its influence to launch its plays and workshops in more high schools in several cities, including Beijing municipality as well as Zhenjiang, in East China's Jiangsu province.

During the process, Ke found many educators shared similar ideas and goals.

Zhao Guoqiang, principal of Zhenjiang Foreign Language International School, says: "The drama course inspires student creativity, and boosts their ability to learn.

"It promotes the development of children, teachers and the cultural construction of the school."

Chen Shuhua, 60, co-founder of the art center from Taiwan, thinks that children and teenagers are too obsessed with electronic gadgets.

"In my childhood, I had no toys or games to play with. I just had the mountains behind my house to explore. I got the chance to feel the shape of the breeze and to hear the croak of frogs," Chen says. "It's a pity that few people today have the time to sense the beauty of the environment around them."

Chen claims that the art center wants to give the five senses－seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting and touching－back to children, and inspire them to discover their natural creativity.