Director Tian Qinxin at a rehearsal of her latest play Romeo and Juliet. Xie Fei / For China Daily

In the male-dominated theater world, Tian's solid background in art and traditional Chinese opera creates a distinct style combining feminine delicacy and intense stage power. Her works feature strong visual theatrical effects, physical movements and a traditional Chinese aesthetics. She loves and is good at telling a classical or historical story in a contemporary or even avant-garde way.

In 2000, Tian was introduced to Buddhism when she visited the other renowned Chinese theater maestro, Stan Lai, in Taipei in 2000.

Later she regularly went to study Buddhism at the Lama Temple and Guanghua Temple in Beijing and participate in rituals. Her works after 2008 started to explore the relationship between the God and humans.

In Green Snake, she presents a complete Buddhist ritual on stage.

During a rehearsal of her latest play Romeo and Juliet in late December, an actor came in looking depressed. He told Tian that his aunt was diagnosed cancer and was expected to die in a few months. Tian's first reaction was to introduce him to the Guanghua Temple.

On the way back from the US, Tian received confirmation that a popular actor would perform in her next work: It tells the story of Li Shutong (1880-1942), a famous scholar, musician, artist, dramatist who finally converted to Buddhism.

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