Even during the turbulence of modern China before 1949, the county continued to cultivate a list of talented painters, including father-son artistic duo Song Laichen and Song Xingyu, Luo Xiaofan and Qiu Tian, who studied under Song Laichen.

This great cultural legacy continued after the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. At present, 10 members of the China Artists Association and six members of the China Calligraphers Association hail from the western Fujian county.

Some of the exhibits:

A flower and bird painting by Hua Yan, who lived during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). [Photo/Xinhua]

A landscape painting by Song Laichen, a modern Chinese painter from Shanghang county in Longyan prefecture, Fujian province. [Photo/Xinhua]