CM values of modular functions and factorization

The theory of complex multiplication tells us that the values of the j-invariant at CM points are algebraic integers. The norm of the difference of two such values has nice and explicit factorization, which was the subject of the seminal work of Gross and Zagier on singular moduli in the 1980s. In this talk, we will recall this classical result, review some recent factorization formula for other modular functions, and report some progress on a conjecture of Yui and Zagier. This is joint work with Tonghai Yang.