"We must preserve the essence of ancient art, while reflecting our contemporary spirit and culture," Feng Dazhong said.

Feng Dazhong was born into a miner's family in Benxi, Liaoning Province, in 1949. Instead of following his father down the pits, he decided to pursue a career in art. His work is heavily influenced by his love for his hometown, which is a famous tiger habitat. Feng is known for his bold and unconstrained paintings of the animals, which are hailed as "the finest tigers in all the world."