I knew I was Chinese, but growing up, it never occurred to me that that had any particular implication or that it should differentiate me in any way. I thought it was a minor detail, like having red hair.

It's the stories that make my heart beat faster ...those are the ones to write about

I've never quite understood the idea of a season. Whenever an artistic director says to me, 'I have this slot,' I always start to feel we're parking cars or something.

I visited a new cultural center in Shanghai in 2005 that was pretty much perfect, except for the really badly translated Chinglish signs: a handicapped restroom that said Deformed Mans Toilet, that kind of thing.

Well, there's no guarantee of failure in life like happiness in high school.

Yellow Face marks my summation of multiculturalism.

The West believes the East, deep down, wants to be dominated, because a woman can’t think for herself

Tonight, I've finally learned to tell fantasy from reality. And, knowing the difference, I choose fantasy.

Ive studied Chinese in college, but basically, Im not bilingual.

I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to be a movie or a television show with Asian characters, I would go out of my way to avoid them, because they portrayed all Asians as either ridiculously good or ridiculously bad you know, the whole Charlie Chan-Fu Manchu thing.

To me to write well is to battle stereotypes. To write well is to create three-dimensional characters that seem human.

Death with honor is better than life... life with dishonor.