What do the giant panda and the little dragon represent?

The giant panda represents the warmth and gentle wisdom that I believe we all possess. Xiaolong represents the more impulsive, easily injured but interesting, child-like part of ourselves. They essentially represent the two parts of my thoughts that talk to each other.

Can you tell us about your first work with the giant panda and the dragon?

Xiaolong was looking for something under the rock, and the giant panda pointed out that perhaps the thing he was looking for was already in his body. I think it supports a lot of spirituality, because we are always looking for a way to be happy, but we rarely examine ourselves. Instead, we tend to look to the outside world and hope that other people, objects, or experiences can make us complete.

What do you want readers to learn from the giant panda and the little dragon?

I hope they can look at their difficulties with a little optimism and see their situation in a new light. We can't always change our situation, but we can change the way we look at it. If this book can help people do this, I will be very happy.

Through this book, and your overall art, you are sharing some of your spiritual lessons. Is it simple enough to explain this with paintings? Is painting something you have been doing?

I find drawing is easy, because this is something I have done since I was a child, but it is very difficult to create text. It took me a long time to come up with this idea, and then translate a rather abstract or complex idea into a simple two-line dialogue.

Your work has inspired so many people, but where do you find your inspiration?

I read a lot of books on spirituality, which is very helpful, but in fact, most of the ideas come from my own experience. If I feel what we might call a negative feeling, I will try to find the reason and find the best way for me to help myself. When I come up with an answer (usually based on ancient wisdom), I think "Yes, how can I turn it into a painting?"

In what way do you give to yourself?

I give myself plenty of rest. I am not a workaholic. I also try to be kind to myself and don't blame myself too much when I do something wrong. In the same way, I try not to be a perfectionist, because it is often a joke, so I allow myself to make mistakes without self-criticism.

Do you have a favorite spell?

Not so, but I often find the idea of ​​"maybe" very powerful. The idea is that when what happens to you, good or bad, you can't see the whole picture. Maybe you inherited some money, bought a cute car, then crashed into the hospital, or maybe you were sick and couldn't go out to eat, but everyone who went there ended up with food poisoning. These are all stupid examples, but the main thing is that you never know how the situation will develop. It can prevent you from falling into an emotional roller coaster every time a situation arises.

Giant pandas and Xiaolong are big tea drinkers; how do you drink tea?

Medium-strength soy milk. I also like jasmine green tea.

I saw a copy of "The Giant Panda and the Little Dragon" spread to the monastery of the Dalai Lama in India. What is the most memorable thank you message you get from your fans, or what is the best interaction you have observed with this book?

A few days ago I received a message from a parent who told me that her child had a serious mental health condition. After reading this book, it was the first time in many years to relax and fall asleep peacefully and happily. I received a lot of wonderful information, but this information impressed me because I never thought this book would have such an effect.

The giant panda and the little dragon are now out.

This article was originally published in Penguin Post, a magazine from Penguin Randomhouse in South Africa – https://www.penguinrandomhouse.co.za/penguin-post