"The 'Bird's Nest' National Stadium, which I helped to conceive, is designed to embody the Olympic spirit of 'fair competition.' It tells people that freedom is possible but needs fairness, courage and strength."
-Ai Weiwei
StrengthView Quote
"China has not established the rule of law and if there is a power above the law there is no social justice. Everybody can be subjected to harm. I'm just a citizen: my life is equal in value to any other. But I'm thankful that when I lost my freedom so many people shared feelings and put such touching effort into helping me.“
-Ai Weiwei
posted in Thankful
Other Quotes by Ai Weiwei
Discover more inspiring quotes by Ai Weiwei
"Everyone wants an iPhone, but it would be impossible to design an iPhone in China because it's not a product it's an understanding of human nature."
-Ai Weiwei
DesignView Quote
"Police in China can do whatever they want after 81 days in arbitrary detention you clearly realise that they don't have to obey their own laws. In a society like this there is no negotiation, no discussion, except to tell you that power can crush you any time they want - not only you, your whole family and all people like you."
-Ai Weiwei
SocietyView Quote
"To work in architecture you are so much involved with society, with politics, with bureaucrats. It's a very complicated process to do large projects. You start to see the society, how it functions, how it works. Then you have a lot of criticism about how it works."
-Ai Weiwei
SocietyView Quote
"This nation is notorious for its ability to make or fake anything cheaply. 'Made-in-China' goods now fill homes around the world. But our giant country has a small problem. We can't manufacture the happiness of our people."
-Ai Weiwei
HappinessView Quote
"I see the Beijing National Stadium as an architectural project. I accepted Herzog and De Meuron's invitation to collaborate on the design, and our proposal won the competition. From beginning to end, I stayed with the project. I am committed to fostering relationships between a city and its architecture."
-Ai Weiwei
DesignView Quote
Same Category
More quotes in this category
"Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light."
-Albert Schweitzer
ThankfulView Quote
"The worst moment for the atheist is when he is really thankful and has nobody to thank."
-Dante Gabriel Rossetti
ThankfulView Quote
"Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts."
-Alan Cohen
ThankfulView Quote
"Be true to yourself, help others, make each day your masterpiece, make friendship a fine art, drink deeply from good books - especially the Bible, build a shelter against a rainy day, give thanks for your blessings and pray for guidance every day."
-John Wooden
ThankfulView Quote
"Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts."
-Henri Frederic Amiel
ThankfulView Quote
"The unthankful heart... discovers no mercies but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!"
-Henry Ward Beecher
ThankfulView Quote