The Life of Zhao Shao’ang and His Art

Born in Guangzhou, Zhao Shao’ang (1905-1998) moved to Hong Kong in 1948, devoting his life to art education and inspiring countless students through his lessons and his art. Although he is internationally known for the colorful Lingnan style that captures both the form and the spirit and his work is collected by museums and individuals in Europe, the Americas and Asia, he was determined to put down roots in just Hong Kong and Guangzhou. By reviewing his life’s journey and artistic experience, this essay reveals how the Lingnan artists preserved and explored Chinese painting in the 20th century when the old met the new, and when the blending of east and west was prevalent, and helps to provide valuable information to the study of Hong Kong art history. Zhao created with his brush an enchanting spring garden full of the singing of birds and floral fragrance. He metaphorically introduced himself as a cicada because the insect perched on the highest branch of a tree and symbolised moral integrity. He transferred the amazing scenery he had seen in the north and the south of China onto his paintings that would attract attention. He captured not only the forms but also the spiritual charm of the animals so as to make his objects lifelike. As for his style, he aspired to modernise Chinese painting as he followed the revolutionary idea of the Lingnan School, weaving the strands of western ideas and techniques into the traditional Six Principles of Chinese painting and creating works with his own experiences and understanding of life.