銆€銆€David Kay (right) rents the remains of an abandoned electronics factory and turns it into a creators' loft in Beijing's 798 Art Zone.

銆€銆€A veteran laywer takes his fate in his own hands and turns to the world of arts, Darnell Gardner Jr. reports.

銆€銆€After 20 years as an intellectual-property lawyer, David Kay decided to take his life in a more creative direction. Kay is the chairman and founder of Yuanfen Flow, an art gallery and what he calls an "incubator", a place for entrepreneurs to formulate sustainable creative business ventures.

銆€銆€This new project was built upon the skills, knowledge and contacts he acquired as a student of Chinese, a lawyer and a technology enthusiast.

銆€銆€Kay, a native of Colorado, attributes his love for China to a bit of serendipity.

銆€銆€While browsing the stacks in a library in Colorado for information on ceramics, two books on a top shelf caught his eye.

銆€銆€"I brought them down just because they were pretty," he says. "One would expect that two books with the same title would have the same content inside, but although they were both in English, and the words were totally different."

銆€銆€The books were two translations of The I Ching, or Classic of Changes, a classic work of Chinese literature. Kay, who had just failed a French exam, says he was drawn to the flexibility one can exercise when interpreting Chinese.

銆€銆€"If you can translate it this way or that way and they're both OK, then that's my kind of language."

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