Zhang Liwei (fourth from left) and friends gather in Beijing to celebrate the publishing of the 2018 Sifei Calendar.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Shanxi is home to many architectural wonders that predate the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). He made full use of that trip, and subsequent ones－where he spent almost one month every year in Shanxi－since then, to pursue his passion.

"Typically, I don't make very detailed travel plan before setting off," he says.

"If you look up too many travel tips before you arrive at the site, you've already been given too many preconceptions by others. And that could influence your own feelings."

During his most recent visit to Shanxi in February, Zhang accidentally walked into a village. There, he discovered what he thought was the layout of a temple and its surrounding architecture, from the positions of the old trees.
"I checked this out later, and it's a great joy to find what I assumed matched the real history," he says.

He does not look for big things. For him, even a stone footstep with unique design can make his journey worthwhile.

Sharing his experiences, he says: "Once, I climbed a hill, and found a monk standing in front of an old temple, just like he was expecting me."

It turned out that the monk was about to walk away and lock the front gate of the temple when he spotted Zhang in the distance and realized that he had come to see the temple.

"Maybe, I will return there in summer," says Zhang, referring to that encounter.

"Sometimes, a lucky meeting with strangers can mark the start of a connection."

Nevertheless, Zhang is often reluctant to reveal the specific locations of relics when sharing pictures.

"I'm afraid the locals will be disturbed," he explains. "And, potential theft of these relics is an even bigger threat."