Today’s thought is from that old salt Cicero, who knew a thing or two about leadership:
Be a pattern to others, and then all will go well: for as a whole city is affected by the corrupt passions of great men, so it is likewise reformed by their moderation.
As it goes for Greek city-states, so it goes for animation studios. 
This past weekend I had the pleasure of visiting Henan province, south of the Yellow River, to speak at the opening of a new animation industry base in Zhengzhou at the invitation of my friend Xue Bing Mao (pictured above), founder and president of Tian Le Animation Films Development Company. In addition to the promising work that I saw at Tian Le, I had the opportunity to meet with the movers and shakers of many other up-and-coming Chinese animation, gaming and mobile content companies.
Zhengzhou boasts a booming commercial zone that has seen remarkable development in recent years. I’ve visited cities with lots of cranes, but was absolutely astonished at how much construction was underway here. Recently completed sites, including the spaceport-like Henan Art Center, are quite remarkable in ambition and design.
Between state-of-the-art commercial facilities such as the Art Center and the expansive convention center, high-end recreational areas, and charming accommodations (ranging from traditional Chinese to faux-Mediterranean), I think that Zhengzhou could present a strong case to host the next available SIGGRAPH Asia conference.
