At a small Taoist temple on Mount Tai lives a young Taoist with a thick Shandong accent. Everyone calls him “Little Shandong,” though his full name is Li Haoran.
He has a natural clarity of mind. Though he seems carefree, he always manages to glean a little wisdom about life amid all the jokes and bickering.
As an adult, Li Haoran leaves the mountain to make his way in the world. Thanks to the character he cultivated at the temple and a little “mystical” luck, his business thrives.
He even marries the girl he had a crush on in high school. One is shrewd and practical, the other openhearted and optimistic, and together they build a happy, flourishing life.
But he never loses that little bit of “Taoist conviction”: he doesn’t cheat people in business, deceive his wife, or betray his friends.
Through it all, Little Shandong keeps the straightforward nature of a Shandong man and the carefree spirit of a Taoist disciple,
practicing his own “way of freedom” amid the bustle of worldly life,
and ultimately becoming a “winner in life,” successful in his career, blessed with a happy family, and rich in spirit.
This is a lighthearted, heartwarming coming-of-age novel, full of the warmth of everyday life.
Watch Little Shandong turn daily life into poetry, all while saying, “I don’t believe in superstition.”
