Blog | Seremony Pavilion

AI can generate art, but can it understand "only this part"?

For this "100 Tea-Talk," I sat down with a VFX artist, Emma Johnson, who has built CG worlds for years. We brewed homegrown spring tea from my family's tea garden in China. She told me: in video games, the GPU only renders where players look. Some hypothesize this is how our eyes or brains image the world. Three takeaways: 1. Reality may be a "render" She described real‑time rendering: computers save memory by rendering only where players are. Then we jumped to microphysics –

100 Tea-Talk

Yipan Deng

May 83 min read

AI can write a poem, but can it feel the rain? 🍵

For this "100 Tea-Talk," I sat down with Terry Hsing, a Portland-based artist and educator specializing in traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting. We brewed a pot of Yuzu-scented Baiya Qilan, a light Oolong with a clean, citrusy aroma. As the tea steeped, we talked about why a robot can mimic a brushstroke but not the emotion behind it. She doesn’t love high‑tech gadgets, yet she uses ChatGPT. “AI is unstoppable,” she said—like the “势” (momentum) in calligraphy. Here ar

100 Tea-Talk

Yipan Deng

Apr 63 min read

Is AI an equalizer—or just another tool for those who can afford it?

For the second "100 Tea-Talk," I sat down with Kai Hu , a tech sales director visiting from China. Morning chill called for Jin Jun Mei (金骏眉)—a Wuyi black tea that warms the stomach and matches Spring's "rising energy." As the tea worked its magic, we dove into AI's real winners and losers. Three takeaways: 1. The "Equalizer" Paradox" AI has a threshold," Kai observed. "Are you a consumer or a producer?" Those who wield AI as a tool magnify their impact. Those who don't "

100 Tea-Talk

Yipan Deng

Apr 64 min read

AI is smart. But is it wise? 🍵

For the first "100 Tea-Talk," I sat down with Gang Shen , an enthusiast of philosophy and technology. Over a cup of Da Hong Pao (大红袍, a Wuyi Rock Tea) at my private tea room, we explored a question that doesn't have a simple answer: As we race to optimize everything, what are we leaving behind? We covered a lot of ground—from the history of operating systems to the philosophy of tea. But three insights stood out. 1. The "Kodak Dynamic": When optimization becomes a trap We

100 Tea-Talk

Yipan Deng

Apr 64 min read

36th Cascade Festival of African Films

It was a privilege to join former Oregon State Senator Michael Dembrow at the 36th Cascade Festival of African Films—an event that invites us to see Africa through the eyes of Africans. We were honored to be on stage in the Talkback Sessions, sharing our tea heritage and Chinese tea culture. In Chinese tradition, tea is more than a drink—it is a ritual of slowness, presence, and reflection. It creates space for listening and genuine connection. That spirit resonated deepl

100 Tea-Talk

Yipan Deng

Apr 61 min read