Scenes of the 3D animation, Beyond the Ocean, which follows Jianwen, a timid crown prince in a fictional dynasty, who's haunted by his fear of being killed. He undertakes an adventure with a group of whale riders in search of a lost Buddhist island. [Photo provided to China Daily]

For example, many cultural elements from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) also get mixed into the plot of the book. In his story, Empress Wu Zetian built the Buddhist island.

"The purpose of my books is not to tell young people what happened and in which year, as you would in a history book," he says.

"Instead, I want to raise their interest in our traditional culture, like ancient music or hanfu (a form of traditional Chinese clothing dating back thousands of years)."

He cites the case of one reader, who was so inspired by the book that he felt compelled to study Zheng He's voyages in detail.

"He is now something of an expert on ancient Chinese ships," Ma says. "That's what I want. Readers should be inspired by the stories to study the real history behind them.

"And they will spread this knowledge through ways that are accessible to young people."

Ma says he is also confident about receiving positive feedback for the animated version of Beyond the Ocean. After all, he has been a kind of "animator" for a long time. The difference is that he "draws" through his use of highly descriptive words.

"My novels are often exaggerated fantasies," he explains. "I am always thinking that the power of words is sometimes limited, so people also need scenes with a strong visual impact."