On Taoism, the books, the music, and the world between the stories.
Because it was the first tradition I encountered that did not try to make me believe anything. Instead, it offered something simpler: observation. Observe nature. Observe people. Observe your own mind.
Gradually, many questions that once demanded quick answers began to lose their urgency. Taoism taught me not to fight life, but to understand its rhythm.
For me, it is not simply a philosophy or a religion. It is a path that helps me become, each day, a little more still, a little wiser, a little kinder.
I did not choose Taoism. At a certain point, I simply realized that this was the place where the world began to explain itself the way I had always felt — but could never quite put into words.
Every story begins differently. Sometimes it is a few lines from an ancient Taoist text. Sometimes an old Chinese legend. Sometimes a conversation with my teacher. And sometimes the most ordinary life situation, suddenly seen in a completely different light.
The real work begins when a question arises: how might this ancient wisdom speak to a person living today?
I never begin writing with the intention of teaching. First comes the story. Only afterward do I understand what it was really about.
"I do not write stories to explain the Tao. I write stories in which the Tao can be heard."
For me, music and books tell the same story — only in different languages. Sometimes words can express what a person feels. Sometimes music does it better.
In the world of the Alchemy Bar of Mei, quiet late-night jazz plays softly. In the Tao Tales series, the music is entirely different: stillness, wind, ancient instruments, the silence of mountain temples.
I do not think of this music as a separate project. It is the soundtrack to my books.
A book can be closed. Music allows you to stay in its world a little longer.
The Temple of Original Simplicity holds a special place in my life and creative work.
For many years I have studied Taoist philosophy, tradition, Chinese mythology, and religious culture there under the guidance of my teacher, Grandmaster Alex Anatole. That long apprenticeship taught me to see in ancient texts not only history and philosophy, but a living wisdom that remains relevant today.
This knowledge became the foundation of my books. The books themselves, however, are not textbooks on Taoism and do not represent any official teaching of the Temple. They are works of fiction, inspired by Taoist philosophy, Chinese mythology, and many years of study.
My aim is not to retell ancient texts, but to show how their ideas can come alive in contemporary stories and find resonance with readers around the world.
If, after reading, someone wishes to explore the Taoist tradition more deeply, I would consider that the stories have fulfilled one more of their purposes.
Learn more at tao.org
No. As Lao Tzu wrote, the great Tao cannot be fully expressed in words. So an encounter with it begins not through theory, but through personal experience.
These books can be read simply as tales. They can be read as philosophy. Or you can return to them years later and find something entirely new.
As my teacher Alex Anatole often says: "Do not try to understand everything at once. If even one thought stays with you after reading, the book has already done its work."
These books are written not for those who already know the Tao — but for those who have ever asked themselves how to live a little more wisely, peacefully, and kindly.
Everyone takes something different. Some will simply read an interesting story. Some will find ancient Chinese wisdom. Some will unexpectedly recognize themselves in one of the characters.
There are no lessons here, no ready-made answers. There are stories. Questions. Moments of quiet.
Sometimes that is enough for a person to look at their own life just a little differently.
A classical parable usually leads the reader toward a particular moral conclusion. My stories are arranged differently — they do not explain what is right or wrong, and they do not offer ready answers.
Instead, they invite the reader to live through the story alongside the characters. This is why the same tale can mean something entirely different to different people.
I hope that after each story, the reader is left not with the feeling of having been explained something — but with the sense that another window has opened.
No. Although spirits, immortals, fox spirits, and mysterious places appear in these books, they are not horror stories.
In Chinese culture, the spirit world never existed separately from the human world. My stories are about the human heart — about choice, regret, hope, forgiveness, and how a person changes when they begin to see the world more deeply.
These are not stories about what to fear. They are stories about what ceases to be frightening when you begin to understand yourself a little better.
Mei was born from my deep interest in Chinese mythology and Taoist culture. For centuries, Chinese legends have spoken of fox spirits — húlijīng (狐仙) — beings of wisdom, longevity, and transformation.
Mei is not taken from any single ancient legend. She was created by me — but inspired by this rich cultural heritage. I have always loved the image of the fox: softness and strength, mystery and kindness, humor and deep wisdom.
If you ask why a fox and not a dragon — the answer is simple: I wanted to create a character who listens more than she speaks.
Both. Many characters have been part of Chinese mythology and Taoist tradition for centuries. I try to approach them with great respect, studying historical sources and ancient legends before using any particular figure.
At the same time, my books remain works of fiction. Some characters were created entirely by me, others are my interpretation of traditional figures.
If, after reading, you find yourself wanting to know which characters come from Chinese tradition — then the stories have already done one of their jobs: awakened curiosity about a remarkable world.
My books are difficult to place in a specific age category. I call them tales for adults.
They are read by people of different professions, cultures, and countries — those who have never before thought about Taoism, and those who have studied it for years. These stories require no specialized knowledge.
My books are written for adults who have not forgotten how to be surprised. For people who believe that even a short story can change the way you see an entire life.
My books are currently available on Amazon in print and digital formats. As new books are released, information is published on this website and on my social media pages.
As for translations — yes, this is part of my plans. I would very much like these stories to reach readers in many countries.
A good story does not belong to one language. It belongs to every person who once opened a book and recognized a part of themselves inside it.