Path to inner calm

Zhao has published 6 million words. His culture novel trilogy is jointly published by the Shandong Provincial Writers Association and Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House. [Photo provided to China Daily]

In 2003, Zhao started to write Shuangshou Heshi, for which he spent the next four years visiting and living in nearly all of the major Chinese Buddhist temples, to closely observe a monk's life and study Buddhism.

The novel follows how the protagonist monk Huiyu goes through internal and external struggles to finally be enlightened to create his own way of practicing Zen Buddhism.

To write Qiandao Kundao, which tells the story of the pursuit of inner peace by the severely ill protagonist, following doctrines of Taoism, Zhao lived in Taoist temples across China to look for inspiration.

The three books were not only market hits, but they also charmed critics.

"They are among the best of very few books exploring the struggling existence of traditional culture and ethics in modern life through novels," Zhu Handong, an official from the Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House, says of its decision to republish the books.

As for Zhao, he hopes readers will not only enjoy the novels' storylines, but will also be enlightened by the protagonists' faith in following traditional Chinese ethics and values.

(Junzi Meng was first published by People's Literature Publishing House in 1999, Shuangshou Heshi was first published by Jiangsu Literature and Art Publishing House in 2008, and Qiandao Kundao was first published by Changjiang Literature and Art Publishing House in 2012.)