"The best Chinese language playwright and director in the world." (BBC) "Asia's top theatre director," (Asiaweek), "One of the most celebrated Chinese-language playwrights and directors，" (New York Times) "Asia's flagship playwright." (China Daily)  The Beijing News calls his The Village (2008) "the pinnacle of our era of theatre." The New York Times calls Lai's Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land (1986) "the most popular contemporary play in China." China Daily calls his epic 8 hour A Dream Like A Dream (2000) "the most elaborate theater work in Chinese history" and "possibly the greatest Chinese-language play since time immemorial." His 35 original plays to date have greatly influenced theatre in the Chinese language theatre and have helped create a large base for young theatre audiences in China.

Lai is Creative Director of Performance Workshop, one of the leading theatre groups in the Chinese world. In 2015 Lai opened Theatre Above in Shanghai, dedicated to the performance of his works. In 2013, Lai co-founded the Wuzhen Theatre Festival with Chen Xianghong, Huang Lei and Meng Jinghui. He now serves as Executive Director and Head of the Jury of the Festival. 

Lai is also an award-winning filmmaker, alternative television comedy creator, opera director (Dream of the Red Chamber for the San Francisco Opera), and event director (Deaflympics Opening Ceremony, 2009). His awards include twice receiving Taiwan's highest award for the arts, China Newsweek's Man of the Year for Culture, the Caligari Prize at the Berlin Film Festival, the Silver Sakura at the Tokyo International Film Festival, the Golden Horse Award, and Taiwan's highest civilian honor, the Grand Cordon, Order of the Brilliant Star.