The collection of essays about twenty five renowned monks through the history. With Han's profound learning over the spiritual world of Buddhism, this work made a familiar approach to the world of monks, and unveil Han's peculiar insight into the Buddhist world at the same time. Having showed the deep observations on the sorrowful lives, Han Seung-won knocks on the door of life and death, desire and salvation through this work. The title of this novel is taken from the famous Sanskrit book of love, The Kamasutra. In this story of love, the distinguished writer Han defines love as a home for modern people who are now homeless.
Love is no longer pure, valuable and spiritual, yet it is still strong, because there is hope in it.
He said he wrote this novel for the recovery of love. It offers a vibrant portrait of his life in rural Haesan, meaning 'the mountain under or near the sea'. The Way to Haesan concerns not only with his personal experience of growth but with all the dark memories of the modern history of Korea. Han retrospects his younger days with his present eyes placing us in the middle of the action, and then slowing it down. We experience, as if in real time, what young Han experiences in his home town Haesan, with a vivid but painful confession.