An exhibition of works by acclaimed Chinese calligrapher and poet Shen Peng, 90, is taking place at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing.

The exhibition is a tribute to the master of calligraphy and poetry. Twenty of the works displayed have been donated by him to the museum. 

Calligraphy has been important in China since ancient times. It showcases abstract beauty through the organizational structure of lines and dots.

"I am a calligraphy lover. Mr. Shen is a great master of Chinese calligraphy. I'm so happy to see so many of his works today," said one visitor.

"I'm a big fan of Mr. Shen Peng. He advocated creation in calligraphy and that every artist should feature something of his or her own," said another. "I'm a painter myself, and he was a great inspiration to me."

Shen is especially known for his unique poetic calligraphy. It's a stunning integration of words and the form they take. 

Wu Weishan, curator of the National Art Museum of China, said that Shen is acclaimed for his achievements in poetry and calligraphy. His calligraphy is innovative in forms, which comes from his profound study of fine arts.

"He didn't just follow the traces of the ancients, but also his unique understanding of character shape and writing rules. As a result, his calligraphy has a pictorial splendor," said Wu.

Wu said Shen is both his teacher and friend. "Twenty-six years ago, he encouraged me with Du Fu's poems. Over the years, we have exchanged ideas on poems and artworks. I have also made a statue of Shen and painted him several times. I did the portraits without having him as a model. I didn't even have a photo reference, but Mr. Shen said that the creations were very similar to him and he wrote inscriptions on each painting," said Wu.

Shen's works will be on display through May 23 at the National Art Museum of China. 

(Cover: "Everlasting" by Shen Peng. /CGTN)