Possessing prolific knowledge of Chinese literature and deep Buddhist influences, CHOU Meng-Tieh is a unique poet with a penchant for infusing classic allusion and Zen in his writings. With his renowned poem Lonely Land as the starting point, this documentary aims to tell CHOU Meng-Tieh’s life story through a single day in the poet’s life. The film captures his habit of rising early and sleeping early to his daily routines, while also recreating the lonely atmosphere of the book stand outside the Café Astoria on Taipei’s Wuchang Street, where he once sold books for a living starting from 1959.

The Coming of Tulku opens from a temple, using Buddhist scriptures to set the tone and illuminate the poet's thinking, spiritual cultivation, and writings. To the bleak sound of a violin, the 90-year-old "ascetic of poetry" begins to talk at length about the time of war and revolution, his flight to Taiwan, and the insights from a life of hardship and illness.

DVD source：Taiwan Cinema Toolkit, Ministry of Culture, R.O.C.