Although I grew up in Beijing and embraced its rich traditions, I did not fully recognize the depth of its complex history, culture, and art as a young child. Later, the momentum of a busy life took me away from the magnificent and exquisite architecture of the ancient capital.

My current artistic practice is a journey of return. Through painting, I seek to document and beautify the Beijing traditional residential architecture that formed the backdrop of my youth. With the ever-increasing pace of urbanization, the old city gates, walls, hutongs, and residential courtyards—vessels of immense historical and artistic value—are vanishing from our sight. I use my brush to capture these fading echoes, ensuring they are not lost to time.

The grandiose, highly ordered layout of imperial Beijing and the vernacular fabric of a city built upon a thousand years of history are wonders of human culture. The hutongs are a living museum; in my work, I treat every brick and alleyway as a clue to an enduring way of life.

My paintings focus particularly on the Beijing quadrangle courtyards, the most elaborate examples of Chinese vernacular dwelling. I am drawn to their ethnological character and variations of style, translating their delicate but powerful decorative elements into visual narratives. While Beijing’s royal palaces and temples represent a pinnacle of Oriental architecture, I believe the totality of the city’s soul is found in the intensely layered occupancy of its geometric spaces.

By documenting these structures, I aim to do more than replicate a facade; I strive to honour the “soul of the city,” preserving the dignity and beauty of a heritage that continues to shape our identity.