For a while Liao was in a creative funk, totally unable to make new works. He would often visit the Guimet Museum and linger amidst the collections of ancient Chinese bronze vessels and the subtly colorful Qing-Dynasty imperial glazed porcelains. "I felt a kindred bond with these great masters from China's past, a connection that transcended the centuries."
這段時間他深受困擾，無法創作，經常流連巴黎吉美博物館，在館藏的中國青銅器和清朝官窯微妙多變的釉色中駐足良久，「透過器物，彷彿有跨越時空，與歷代名匠凝視神交之感。」