Jia likes to read traditional Chinese classics. "Every time I read I will have new feelings and new findings," he said.

He said that tradition is like running water that has everlasting charm.

That's why his paintings emphasize the real understanding of traditions.

This belief can be found in his fine brushwork of flowers and birds, which is well organized, precise and carries a profound meaning. It shows his respect for and understanding of the paintings in the dynasties of Jin, Tang, Song and Yuan.

Jia's natural and meticulous painting style can be found in many of his works.

He often depicts the beauty of quiet, lonely and graceful natural scenes, such as peaceful autumn nights, rivers in a pale winter sunset, shallow brooks after snow, thin fog at dawn, the moon over his hometown, or a lotus on a green lake.

Such works not only represent his achievements in traditional realistic paintings but also measure up to the accomplishments of his contemporaries, art critics say.

Some of Jia's works do have the touch of a painter of his time. He likes to create paintings of a large scale, to deal with major topics and to pour his ideas into every brush of ink. Long said his work has the beauty and grandeur of an epic.