Edward Yang

Taiwanese · 1947–2007

Taiwanese master whose epic, intricately structured films like Yi Yi and A Brighter Summer Day captured modern urban life with novelistic depth.

“你越想用理性解释一切，你对真实生活的理解就越少。”
Chinese

“The more you try to explain everything with reason, the less you understand about real life.”

A Brighter Summer Day press interviews

“我们每次只能了解世界的一半，因为我们只能看到前面看不到后面。”
Chinese

“We can only know the world half of it at a time, because we can only see in front but not behind us.”

Yi Yi

Spoken by the young boy Yang-Yang in the film

“看完这部电影，你多活了一次。”
Chinese

“After watching this movie, you have lived one more life.”

Concept behind Yi Yi

“我认为电影的目的是让人们体验他们以前从未体验过的东西。”
Chinese

“I think the purpose of film is to let people experience something they haven't experienced before.”

Interview, Cannes Film Festival

“电影存在是因为生活还不够。”
Chinese

“Cinema exists because life is not enough.”

Attributed, from interviews