The cross on the dome of St. Sophia[1] points to the sky, it tells us that God is still here; God could not have died, because there are 150,000 genes in the genome lying dormant, waiting to be awakened by him.

In the 1950s, humans discovered the basic genetic substance of life: DNA. This discovery has led the life sciences to an era of molecular biology, a milestone in the history of science. This event set off a wave of renewed concern and interest in life and mankind. People began asking questions about their own bodies: What am l? How did I arrive to this world? Why is there so little difference between my genes and the genes of a mouse? It caused a great shock in people's thinking and psyche. As genetics research deepens, the secret of life is gradually being revealed.

We know that each of us is a unique individual. But the characteristics of our uniqueness are neither caused by the differences in genes, nor by the results generated from the information sent off from the editable genes in the genome.Our uniqueness has to do with certain regions the genome, and these regions are not real genes per se, but a kind of filler, a bunch of debris, or perhaps the residue of other ancient genes. Errors are easily mixed in with the long and monotonous regions of the DNA. The result of these errors is a unique genetic pattern similar to the uniqueness of our fingerprints. Today,we finally know that our individual uniqueness comes from errors, from piles of filler, or from piles of rubbish. We have always thought that the multifarious things of the great macroscopic universe influenced our lives and destinies, but then we were suddenly thrown into thinking that we actually originated from a heap of rubbish, controlled and manipulated by a pile of remnants; or worse, our destinies are caused by an error. So what are we? Life is just nothing but what it is, and this constitutes a serious blow to our own self-awareness.

The psychological devastation caused by this understanding of life motivated me to reorient my artistic direction and focus to issues related to the life sciences in 1993.I began preparatory studies in 1995, and in 1996, made a BioArt proposal by means of an electronic collaged image.In February of 1998, I completed the textual proposal Reading. This proposal outlined the ideas of a BioArt practice, and it formulated the basic definition of BioArt. This proposal also defined the boundaries of BioArt, and provided a detailed description on artistic methods, including the use of materials and the styles from which the work can develop. This proposal also provided the basis for the discussion of BioArt. Reading could perhaps be considered as the first art proposal that is guided and constructed by ideas coming from molecular biology in the history of art.

At the present, life as we know it has been written with just four letters: A, T, C, and G. This "book" has been billions of years in the making and was just "published" at the end of the last century. So, is it possible for us to revise the letters or perhaps add other letters to it? This is the core concern that a BioArt practice must consider. In 1992, experiments were conducted and were successful in replicating the ability to express DNA containing artificial nucleotides. In 2014, DNA containing artificial nucleotides for dNAM and D5SICS were successfully replicated in living organisms. There has so far been an increase from four letters to six letters. No one knows how many new letters will be created. If artists can revise the "translation", that is, to revise the RNA so that it can recognize artificial nucleotide and include it into its information system to achieve genetic expressions, this will then bring about infinite possibilities to a BioArt practice.

The insertion of artificial nucleotide sabotages the perfect model of "DNA→RNA→protein", but it gives artists the ability to re-draft God's blueprint,so to speak, and to provide space for exploring DNA behaviors. What an artist does, in her or his own way of thinking and doing, is really about finding a different mode for the interpretation of life. Following the creation of artificial life, the idea of decoding is the next value system for a BioArt practice. I believe that the 150,000 genes in the genome have at one time been activated during the evolution of life, but for some unknown reasons, they have been discarded to the corner and have since lain dormant. Artists want to free these dormant genes because they once were able to roam freely. As a substance of life, they have the ability to express; as a life of substance, they have the right to express, and will as long as their inhibitors are lifted from the system. In discussing the work Misfortune in 2012, I outlined that, "if we are able to lift the regulatory mechanism in the genetic process of transcribing and translating so that the result becomes a random expression, it would perhaps be the only possible chance for a life to achieve freedom."

In the second half of 2006, I began collaborating with scientists to work on the epigenetic modification of pumpkins. We used Arabidopsis thaliana as a model plant to identify the H3K4 histone methyltransferase in pumpkins, and in the process we established its histone methylation modification. Our initial failure was based on a fantastical assumption.We knocked out the suppressing quality in the PCG protein family, and left the TRXG protein family in activation mode so that it can sustain transcription. We hoped by doing so that we would see a wild expression in the pumpkin's growth. However, counterproductively, the squash plant experienced atrophy. This proves that all the cellular memory in an organism must involve two types of underlying regulatory mechanisms, that is, an activation mechanism and an inhibition mechanism. This also suggests the complexity involved in DNA transcription, where an act of inhibition may also cause activation; in the process of knocking out the protein by inhibiting it,other activated proteins are also knocked out,thus resulting in a blocking of the transcription process, causing devastation to the squash plant. The only thing we were able to do was to carry out further studies and experiments in order to achieve what we want. In the fall of 2007,we succeeded in growing transgenic pumpkins; in this sense, a life has finally found its own way of existence. Pumpkins can finally be rid of God's restraints and human oppression.

When people have asked about my motivation to do trans-genetic experiments, I have answered: "Because we still have not yet seen the ultimate pattern of life."

The ringing of St. Sophia's bell has gradually subsided, but the sound has been replaced by the hustle and bustle on the Zhongyang Street. Why is this the case? It is because waiting is unbearable.