He has been interested in traditional poetry ever since his youth, and has read thoroughly the ancient works his father copied down by hand, as well as the "Chien-chia Poetry" (a collection of poems for children dating from the Tang and Sung dynasties), which were carved in wood.
念書時管管是「學優品不優」，因為他太調皮，經常搗蛋，以致學業成績雖好，操行分數大都是拿丁等。然而調皮搗蛋的管管，小時候就對古詩詞特別感興趣，他熟讀父親的手抄古文和木刻千家詩。