On September 13, 2025, during the semi-finals of the 2025 NTD Television “International Chinese Classical Dance Competition”, a contestant presented a modern story that raised profound questions about life’s purpose and meaning. The performance lacked complex technical skills and intense emotions but posed a fundamental question: why do we exist, and where does the meaning of life lie?
The contestant, Han Jialiang, titled his piece in Chinese as “此生為何來” and in English as “An Unexamined Life”, drawing inspiration from the famous saying of the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates: “An unexamined life is not worth living”. This conveys the idea that a life without introspection, reflection, and examination loses its true value and significance.
On stage, the audience witnessed a young man starting a new job with great excitement, as if achieving a life goal. As time passed, the protagonist grew older, sporting a full beard. In his middle age, he became restless, consumed by the monotony of daily routines, forgetting the purpose that led him to his work. Ultimately, as a white-haired elderly man, hunched over, he glimpsed at his ID badge with a picture of his youthful self, suddenly feeling the emptiness of his life…
“Even if someone is wealthy and famous, even a big star, in the end, everyone must face the day of death, and ultimately, there is nothing left,” Han Jialiang said. “I want the audience to contemplate the meaning of their own lives.”
Hence, he presented the dance piece “此生為何來” to the audience with the hope that after witnessing it, they would reflect on their life choices and goals.
In Han Jialiang’s view, as a Chinese classical dancer, mastering technical skills is paramount. “Without technique, one cannot be a qualified dancer,” he said. However, beyond this stage, “I believe art should ultimately tell a story to the audience, provoke thought, and bring enlightenment.”
As the saying goes, “One minute on stage, ten years of practice off stage”. Han Jialiang believes that dancing is a challenging profession. “Dancers on stage bring beauty to the audience, but they don’t see the sacrifices behind the scenes,” he explained. “Daily practice, stretching, and a strong will are required. If it weren’t for faith giving me a sense of responsibility and mission, in other words, if I didn’t believe in God, I might not have persevered.”
Through years of rigorous training and immersion in traditional Chinese culture, Han Jialiang found his aesthetic values aligning more with tradition, and his dance skills becoming more refined. “As I cultivated my taste for beauty, developed habits of exerting effort, and let go of preconceived notions, I moved closer to my goals,” he said. “If I had been stubborn and held onto my old ways, I wouldn’t have made breakthroughs.”
Han Jialiang emphasized that art was originally meant to glorify God, and true meaning in life comes from faith in God. “People can choose to believe in God or not,” he said. “A believer in God has a clear understanding of life’s principles, whereas an atheist relies solely on subjectivity, lacking standards of good and bad. Until death, they may find everything meaningless.”