[Photo provided to China Daily]

This was followed by other works, including Zen Shaolin, staged in the Songshan Mountain valley near the Shaolin Temple, in Henan province, in 2007; and Princess Wencheng, which was staged in Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet autonomous region, in 2012.

Nearly all the stories and characters in the shows are from the places where the shows are staged.

Mei, who worked as an actor with a Guangxi theater troupe when he was 12 and started publishing novels and short stories at 17, says he loves local legends and folklore.

Giving examples, he says: "Just like Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), Princess Huyen Tran is also regarded as a symbol of peace, and both sacrificed themselves for their respective countries. They are remembered by the local people even now.

"Foreign audiences may read history, but natural settings are the best way to understand local culture."

Mei is now working with Vietnam's Gami Group, whose business interests mainly comprise real estate and international trade, to present Princess Huyen Tran, which will include performers from Vietnam and China.

Edward Lee, the CEO of the Gami Group, who was at the Beijing conference, says: "Our team has been to China many times to watch Mei's productions, and we hope our collaboration will bring the history and culture of Vietnam to life.

"By working with Mei, we are creating history. The show is just the beginning."