Ven. Jian Zhen was a Buddhist Dharma master in Tang Dynasty who went to Japan to spread Buddhism in his later years. The drama is presented as a TV series, which describes the story of Ven. Jian Zhen crossing the ocean in order to promote Buddhism in Japan. After ten years of going through all the difficulties and hardships, during which time he not only lost many of his disciples, but also his eyesight, he finally arrived in Japan. Besides sharing Buddhism with the people of Japan, Ven. Jian Zhen further introduced the cultures of Tang Dynasty into Japan, for which he was hailed as "the benefactor of Japanese culture". This is how he has been respected in Japan for thousands of years. In comparison, his story is rarely known by the people in China, hence this drama to introduce his spirit and story in his home country. The play is based on Campbell’s "hero with a thousand faces" and Vogler’s screenwriting theory. From the eight character prototypes that often appear in the journey of heroic adventures as a reference basis for creation, the characters in the play are shaped. During the six indomitable heroic adventures, Ven. Jian Zhen and his followers had experienced many trials, including his friends and relatives being imprisoned and he himself being sold out by his followers. During his long journey from the ordinary world to the adventure world, Ven. Jian Zhen had never lost his faith. He did not give up and eventually became the hero of passing Buddhism from China to Japan.
