Eminent Buddhist figure painter exhibits in Beijing

Shandong-born artist Xia Jingshan, 95, has gained prominence at home and among overseas Chinese for his ink paintings of Buddhist figures and for sponsoring renovations at several historic Buddhist temples across China.

Throughout decades of residence, first in China's Taiwan province and then the United States, Xia perfected a style in which he inherited the refinement and elegance of Taoist and Buddhist figure paintings from the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties.

An ongoing exhibition at the National Museum of China through Aug 11 reviews Xia's creations by showing his paintings and calligraphic works.