An illuminating life – a tribute to Qiguang Zhao

His innovative teaching methods made him a hugely popular teacher of Chinese culture, and his classes were often oversubscribed.

Over 20 years, Zhao led more than 10 groups of American students on three-month study tours of China. He also took part in debates and discussions on international politics and cultural exchanges.

For him this was all part of his responsibilities in introducing China to the world and explaining the world to China.

One day in 2013 he and I took American students to visit the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, and he took the opportunity to give a lecture on China modern history in impeccable English, all the while patiently answering students' questions. He loved students and loved imparting knowledge, and those students returned that love and respect in spades.

One thing he delighted in was coming up with a way of forming a hybrid of Chinese and US, culture, one instance being when he once got a group of American students to perform tai chi in Tian'anmen Square, much to the delight and applause of a huge crowd.

Zhao was the first Chinese to see the handwriting of the will of Marco Polo in the Italian National Museum. He suggested and planned a TV series on Marco Polo three years ago made jointly by Phoenix TV and the BBC. That series set out history in an easily understood way for lay people and laid the foundation for steps in later introducing the "One Belt One Road" policy.

He was an excellent writer, presenting his ideas in ways that were always illuminating and captivating. They gave me great insights into philosophical ideas, and were keenly read by many of the current generation of Taoist philosophers. For me, his concept "doing nothing, doing everything" (covered in works, in both Chinese and English, by Haitun Publications) became not only a motto but also a lifestyle.

One lasting impression of him for me will be accompanying him after he visited China Daily. He answered questions I raised in the car, and on alighting at the hotel he opened a gift package that had just been presented to him, containing a book, and enthusiastically began reading.

A few days ago I arranged a meeting for him on his next visit to China, in which he and Mr Farzam, CEO of Future Trend Group, would discuss the barriers between Chinese and Western cultures. Qiguang asked me to attend and take notes, and it is almost impossible now to believe that this will not take place.

Zhao's works, besides many publications, some of which are published by Haitun Publications, include Tao Te Ching, The Tao that Can be Told, Do Nothing and Do Everything and A Study of Dragon: East and West.