Throughout Xu Beihong's entire life, one person was very IMPORTANT to his career development--Cai Yuanpei, former President of Peking University. Cai invited Xu to teach at Peking University's School of Art for years and showed great support.

The exhibition of the works by Xu Beihong, the first President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, reflect the artist's love of the country and concern for the people.

XU QINGPING XU BEIHONG'S SON "My father's works reflect his strong empathy and care about everything. He was a very chivalrous and honest painter. He studied art in Europe for 8 years. After learning the traditional European painting techniques, my father started his own art creations on people with complicated relationships, including "Tian Heng and His 500 Retainers", "Xi Wo Hou" and "Foolish Old Man Attempting to Remove Mountains". He was always trying to depict the characters' personalities and minds."

Xu Beihong's lifelong project involved re-invigorating Chinese art with Western influences. The result was a system of his own.

ZHOU BINGYI ZHOU ENLAI'S NEICE "Xu Qingping is my Middle School classmate. I often went to his home. Premier Zhou said Xu Beihong's paintings are very important. Chairman Mao Zedong also spoke highly of them. Zhou did a lot to protect Xu's paintings, which are considered national treasures."

One of the most influential people in Xu Beihong's career development was the former President of Peking University, Cai Yuanpei. In 1918, Cai advocated the founding of "National School of Fine Arts in Beijing", the first such national school in Chinese history. And in the same year, he invited 23-year-old Xu Beihong to teach art.

CAI LEIKE CAI YUANPEI'S GRANDDAUGHTER "In the 1920s, my grandfather Cai Yuanpei started the course of aesthetics. But illness forced him to give it up, and he asked Mr. Xu to take over. Xu was quite young then, and hesitated about teaching at such a high-level university. My grandfather talked with Xu in the hospital, encouraging him and telling him how to do it."  

After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Central Academy of Fine Arts was founded. Premier Zhou Enlai appointed Xu Beihong the first president of the academy.

Collecting and depicting things about the country's construction after years of war was an important part of Xu's work.

XU QINGPING XU BEIHONG'S SON "My father invited the soldiers of the People's Liberation Army who were honored as the hero models to the Central Academy of Fine Arts. He drew them. He sat on a stone step while drawing, with wholehearted respect for the heroes."

FAN DI'AN, DEAN CENTRAL ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS "One important character of Xu Beihong's art is the combination of East and West. He had been trying to develop modern art in China, and was very sensitive about social reality. His works enlightened the whole society. Xu is one of the most important representatives of art of the 20th Century, creating modern art education in China."

Xu Beihong saw himself as a modernizer and reformer. His work had a profound influence on other artists from that time.

PROFESSOR JIN SHANGYI CENTRAL ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS "People of our age collected artistic stories and characters from our life. We joined different groups of people, lived with them, and worked with them. Our works reflected the reality of that time."

Xu Beihong was primarily known for his Chinese ink paintings of horses and birds. He's regarded as one of the first to create monumental oil paintings with epic Chinese themes.