As one of the winners of Lanting Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest prize in Chinese calligraphy art circles, artist Shen Peng, who is now over 90 years old, has developed a unique understanding of character shapes and his calligraphy is considered a pictorial splendor.

He advocates innovation in calligraphy, stressing that artists should contribute something new of their own making. His own artworks represent his personal feelings and aesthetics, and reflect his broad-minded, free spirit.

Born in 1931 in Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province, Shen, considered a master at using cursive script, developed a passion for calligraphy during childhood. His first encounter with the cursive script dates back to his middle school years when four Chinese characters written in cursive style in a book impressed him. He even used a pencil to copy it dozens of times.

Years later, Shen attended college. After a year of study, he returned to his hometown for a summer vacation where he learned that Xinhua News Agency was planning to recruit students from all over the country. Shen decided to challenge himself and expand his horizons, so he immediately traveled to the test center in Shanghai. His outstanding talent and profound writing skills left a deep impression on the examiners.

In 1949, at the age of 18, Shen went to Beijing to study journalism. He witnessed the historical moment of the founding of the People's Republic of China. From then on, Shen was full of hope for the country and his own future. 

In 1951, he was transferred to work at the People's Fine Arts Publishing House. His chief task was dealing with letters from readers, as well as greeting visitors. He read books voraciously and took pains to write critical articles, finally becoming one of the house’s published authors. 

In 1981, the China Calligraphers Association was founded. Shen, who had already made outstanding achievements in the field of calligraphy at that time, was elected as the executive director of the association. 

Shen's calligraphy is a reflection of the contemporary age and his unique personal style as well. He promoted the idea of sustainable development in Chinese calligraphy.

Shen is now over 90 years old. Although he may look slightly frail, when he picks up his pen, he is full of energy. His calligraphy is created in a spontaneous manner, generating a kind of visual continuity from top to bottom. Rather than focusing on the structure of the characters, calligraphy for him is a form of emotional expression. And he regards the cultivation of calligraphers as being more important than the techniques used.

Chinese calligraphy master Qi Gong once remarked on Shen's work: "None of his cursive script follows a set pattern. We say it is important to be creative in the arts. We have found this in his work."

Shen is not only a calligrapher, but also a poet. Throughout his decades-long artistic career, he has constantly been seeking inspiration from ancient Chinese poetry and has published hundreds of poems. With a profound understanding of the rules of writing, Shen sees a deep connection between calligraphy and poetry.

"People in ancient China would talk about calligraphy being a mirror to the soul. Poets express their own understanding of the world through their work. From the beauty of the calligraphy, we can see the beauty of poetry. From the beauty of painting, we can hear people's inner voice. The combination of poetry and calligraphy leaves a lingering aftertaste," Shen explained.