Faculty Profile

Basic Information

Li Ziyi, from Lanzhou, Gansu Province, is a member of the Communist Party of China. He is currently an Associate Professor and Master's Supervisor at the College of Arts, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA), where he also serves as one of the first certified University-level Trainers and the Faculty Advisor for the Muxing Drama Club.

He is a member of the China Theatre Association, the Jiangsu Theatre Association, the Jiangsu Recitation Association, and the Jiangsu Young Artists Association. He is the founder of Action Partners Studio and Improv Theatre Company. His international affiliations include:

· Inaugural member of the EMERGENCY ACADEMY, a global youth cultural leadership incubator based in Singapore (2020-2022).

· Inaugural member of Makoto Sato's "Wharf Workshop" at WAKABACHO WHARF, Japan (2018).

· Workshop Training Supervisor for the INTERSECTION project (Nanjing Research), funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) (2016).

He is also a former member of the independent theatre collective "Grass Stage."

His teaching and research focus on theatre creation (playwriting, directing, and acting), with a particular interest in contemporary theatre, improvisational theatre, vocal expression, intermedia art, cross-cultural collective creation, and physical language development. He has studied the Jacques Lecoq method with Xi Wang and Norman Taylor; contemporary theatre and collective creation methods with Zhao Chuan, Satoh Makoto, and Liu Xiaoyi; and improvisational theatre with Su Guanghui, Huang Weixiang, and Wang Yuxin.

Teaching and Research

1. Courses Taught

    · Undergraduate Courses

        o Core: Theatre Performance (I-IV), Vocal Training for the Stage (I-II)

        o Electives: The Art of Language and Public Speaking, Intermedia Art Expression, Theatre Arts Appreciation

    · Graduate Courses

        o Research on Theatre Arts Practice, Principles of Music and Dance Performance

2. Teaching Awards

    · First Prize (All-around Individual), Jiangsu Provincial Higher Education Arts Teachers’ Professional Skills Competition (Professional Arts Education Group)

    · Second Prize, Jiangsu Provincial Higher Education Young Teachers’ Teaching Competition (Humanities and Social Sciences Group)

    · First Prize, Jiangsu Provincial Higher Education Micro-Course Teaching Competition

    · Grand Prize (1) & First Prize (1), NUAA Ideological and Political Education in Curriculum Teaching Competition

    · Grand Prize, NUAA Young Teachers’ Teaching Skills Competition

    · First Prize, NUAA Micro-Course Teaching Competition

    · First Prize (1) & Second Prize (1), NUAA Teacher Teaching Innovation Competition

    · First Prize (1) & Second Prize (2), NUAA Outstanding Teaching Award

    · First Prize (1) & Second Prize (1), NUAA Teaching Innovation Award

    · Outstanding Advisor Award, Jiangsu Collegiate Arts Festival (Theatre)

    · Outstanding Advisor Award, Jiangsu Collegiate Arts Festival (Recitation)

    · Outstanding Advisor Award, Jiangsu Collegiate Drama Festival    

    · Outstanding Director Award, Jiangsu Collegiate Drama Festival & Jiangsu Campus Theatre Festival

    · Outstanding Advisor Award, Jiangsu Provincial Collegiate Psycho-Drama Competition

    · Outstanding Advisor Award, Jiangsu Provincial Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis/Design    

    · Outstanding Student Organization Mentor, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics

3. Representative Publications

    · “‘Multiple Linkages, Collective Creation’: Innovation in the Teaching Model of Arts Practice Courses.” Drama and Film Monthly, no. 3, 2024.

    · “A Teaching Model for Cross-Cultural Collective Creation in Contemporary Theatre: An Analysis of Satoh Makoto and His ‘Wharf Workshop’.” Journal of Hotan Teachers College, no. 3, 2024.

    · “Consciousness, Experimentation, and Speculation: The Physical Language in Postdramatic Theatre.” Drama and Film Monthly, no. 6, 2023.

    · “A Comparative Study of Thematic Choices and Chinese Reception of A Doll’s House and Miss Julie.” Popular Literature and Art, no. 18, 2023.

    · “The Westernization of Late Qing Dynasty Theatrical Forms and the Modern Transformation of Popular Aesthetic Concepts.” Drama and Film Monthly, no. 2, 2023.

4. Representative Projects

    · Core Intellectual Property: National Copyright Courses

        1. Action Language: Public Speaking from Intention to Influence, National Copyright Administration of China, Registration No. Guo Zuo Deng Zi-2025-A-00276972.

        2. Value Performance: Practical Expressiveness to Win Client Trust, National Copyright Administration of China, Registration No. Guo Zuo Deng Zi-2025-A-00282828.

        3. The "Art" of Language: From Stage to Life, National Copyright Administration of China, Registration No. Guo Zuo Deng Zi-2023-A-00272294.

    · Principal Investigator (PI) of Research & Teaching Reform Projects

        4. Provincial Level: "Integration of Arts and Engineering, Symbiosis of Virtual and Real: Research and Practice on Quality Enhancement of Public Arts Courses in Engineering-focused Universities," Jiangsu Provincial Higher Education Teaching Reform Research Project (General), No. 2025JGYB373.

        5. National Key University Level: "Textual Forms and Creative Models in Postdramatic Theatre," The Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, No. NR2023007.

        6. University Level: "Innovation and Practice of a 'Course-integrated' Teaching Model for Theatre Creation and Practice," NUAA Undergraduate Education Teaching Reform Research Project, No. 2023JG1134Y.

        7. University Level: "Ideological and Political Education" Demonstration Course Construction for Voice and Speech (2), NUAA Undergraduate Teaching Construction Project, No. 2023JG0410K.

        8. National Key University Level: "A Study on Contemporary Staging Issues of Classic Western Dramatic Works," The Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, No. NR2018020.

    · Participant in Major Research Projects

        9. "Research on the 'Theatre-based Ideological and Political Education' Model and Practical Paths in Universities," Ministry of Education Humanities and Social Sciences Research Special Task Project, No. 24JDSZ3121 (2024).

        10. "Research on the 'Theatre-based Ideological and Political Education' Creative Performance Model: A Case Study of Universities in Nanjing," Jiangsu Provincial Higher Education Philosophy and Social Science Research Special Project, No. 2020SJB0068 (Ranked 2nd).

        11. "A Regional Study of Late Qing Dynasty Costume Culture in the Jiangsu Area," Jiangsu Provincial Social Science Foundation Key Project, No. 19YSA004 (Ranked 3rd).

        12. "A Study on the Development of Fine Arts Graduate Education from the Perspective of the Greater Cultural Industry: A Case Study of Higher Arts Institutions in Jiangsu," Jiangsu Provincial "12th Five-Year Plan" for Educational Science Youth Special Project, No. C-c/2013/01/056 (Ranked 3rd).

Creative Works & Performances

    · Starlight of Shengle: Immersive interactive drama by Hohhot Cultural Tourism Investment Group. Associate Director (Director: Wang Yuxin), 2025.

   · Explaining Words: Performance for the first camp of “Emergency Stairs” (Singapore). Performer (Collective Creation / Director: Liu Xiaoyi), 2024.

   · Extra! Extra! (Musical): Script reading and workshop by Nanjing Arts Creation and Research Institute. Director, Composer, Performer (Playwright: Chu Xia), 2024.

   · Awakening (Physical Theatre): Jiangsu Collegiate Arts Festival (Theatre). Playwright, Music Design, Faculty Advisor, 2023.

   · I Believe: Jiangsu Collegiate Arts Festival (Recitation). Author, Faculty Advisor, 2023.

   · Three One-Act Comedies: Undergraduate teaching performance (Playwrights: Song Zhi-di, Ding Xilin, Leonid Lench). Director, Faculty Advisor, 2021.

   · No Boat to the Other Shore (Experimental Theatre): Undergraduate teaching performance (Adapted from Satoh Makoto’s No Boat sight / Collective Creation). Director, Music Design, Faculty Advisor, 2021.

   · Starting Over: Performance for the 50th anniversary of AVIC Special Vehicle Research Institute. Playwright, Director, Music Design, 2020.

   · Return to the Nest: “Open Stage” online play reading festival. Playwright, Director, Music Design, 2020.

   · Selected Readings from Ancient Chinese Calligraphy Theory: National First-class MOOC Course at Nanjing University of the Arts. Narration/Voice-over (Lecturer: Prof. Li Tong), 2019.

   · No Boat Sight: Performance at WAKABACHO WHARF, Yokohama, Japan. Actor (Playwright/Director: Satoh Makoto), 2018.

   · Frida and Mandoline: Object theatre workshop performance based on a German picture book. Actor (Director: Xi Wang), 2017.

   · The Wasteland and the People: Undergraduate teaching performance (Playwright: Li Longyun). Director, Faculty Advisor, 2017.

   · The Dawns Here Are Quiet: Undergraduate teaching performance (Adapted from Boris Vasilyev’s novel). Director, Faculty Advisor, 2015.

   · World Factory: Performed at the Contemporary Theatre Youth Invitational (Nanjing) & 1933 “Left Bank Fringe Festival” (Shanghai). Actor, Live Music (Collective Creation / Director: Zhao Chuan), 2014/2016.

   · Notes on Wild Grass: Performed at the Contemporary Theatre Youth Invitational (Nanjing). Actor (Collective Creation / Director: Zhao Chuan), 2014.

   · Love Letters: Graduate thesis performance (Playwright: Shan Cheng-ju). Director, Music Design, Faculty Advisor, 2013.

   · Apes in a Pack: Undergraduate teaching performance (Playwright: Song Zhi-di). Director, Faculty Advisor, 2013.

   · A Snowy Christmas: Undergraduate teaching performance (Adapted from the French film 8 Women). Director, Faculty Advisor, 2013.

   · A Street Full of Bad Words: Jiangsu Collegiate Drama Festival & 3rd Jiangsu Campus Theatre Festival (Playwright: Guo Shixing). Director, Music Design, Faculty Advisor, 2011.

   · The Seagull: Performed by the Nanda MFA Theatre Company for the International Symposium on Chekhov’s 150th Anniversary. Actor, Music Design (Playwright: Anton Chekhov / Director: Ye Ziyan), 2010.

   · The Last Romance: Graduate thesis performance (Playwright: Neil Simon). Director, Actor, Music Design, 2010.