His research has also made tracks in areas scholars have regarded as fresh and interesting. He has researched how the various kinds of characters are described in Chinese literature, trying to understand the world views of different places, ages and ethnic groups through Chinese proverbs. All of this work has opened up new vistas in the study of Chinese folk literature.
在研究上，他也提出不少被學界視為新鮮、有趣的題目，他研究中國文學中各種人物肖像的描寫，試圖由中國諺語瞭解不同地區、時代、民族的世界觀，都給極待充血的中國民間文學研究開了新視野。