What's on

Art benevolence

Zhu Lesan inherited from his teacher, Wu Changshuo, a prominent artist of the early 20th century in China, a passion for classic art in the forms of poems, calligraphy, ink-color painting and seal engraving. Deeply influenced by his mentor, Zhu has integrated the styles of various scripts of Chinese characters, including those inscribed on oracle bones, primitive drums and bronzes, into his paintings. Zhu also emphasizes the delivery of a poetic touch in his work. His paintings often feature poems composed by himself to accentuate a scholarly atmosphere. Benevolence of an Artist, an exhibition to mark the 120th anniversary of Zhu's birth, is being held at the Beijing Fine Art Academy. The 90-odd paintings, calligraphy pieces and seal impressions on display are from the collection of China Academy of Art, a public university in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, where Zhu taught for decades. The Zhu Lesan Art Gallery in his native home of Anji, Zhejiang, and his family also provided exhibits for the show. The exhibition has been the first activity of a series of events in memory of Zhu. He is most accomplished in the long-standing art of seal engraving. A classic Chinese ink painting is often endorsed with the seals of its creator, critics and collectors. The seals are engraved into the many scripts of Chinese calligraphy and with birth names, courtesy names, pseudonyms and mottos to suggest their users' takes on life. The engraved seals in Zhu's oeuvre demonstrate his profound understanding of calligraphy and the relationship between figurative and abstract forms of art. The exhibition runs through to Sept 18.

9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays. 12 Chaoyang Gongyuan (Park) Nan Road. 010-6502-5171.

Colors of nature

In a letter to his friend in January 1978, late oil painter Su Tianci described scenes of awe while he was sketching by a sea: "I'm on the beach and already, I've felt the great powers of the sea. The waves are not high, but one after another they run forward feverishly. … Standing by the sea, I forget all the languages in the world, but am lost in thought." Impressed by the sea view, Su completed a work on wood panel called Sea Rocks, which is now on show at an exhibition dedicated to his art, running through to Aug 31 at Nanjing Museum. The show is in tribute to the artist's love for nature, which he viewed as "the reason that ignites my passion" and where he "finds a resonance of emotions and encouragement". Su was also a master of colors. He used a vibrant palette to hail varying scenery, from the sea of clouds encircling the Huangshan Mountain, in Anhui province, to changing colors of water in Jiuzhaigou, a popular nature reserve in Sichuan province. Although he worked with oil pigments, Su's work presents the atmosphere of woyou, "lying and appreciating", that is the essence of classic Chinese painting. He was able to combine the aesthetics and philosophic views of the East and the West in his works.

9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays. 321 Zhongshan Donglu, Xuanwu district, Nanjing, Jiangsu province.025-8480-7923.

Reflections on bronze

During his reign, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) ordered the making of various works of art and craft styled in the forms of art of previous dynasties. For example, he supervised the production of a set of 10 bronze mirrors that adopted the patterns of several famed mirrors from centuries ago. The set is on display for a long-term exhibition at the Shenyang Palace Museum where the items are housed. The manufacturing of bronze mirrors dates back 4,000 years in China. People cast on the back of mirrors decorative motifs, reflecting social norms, religious beliefs, daily routines and takes on beauty. People also cast mottos and proverbs for the purpose of self-cultivation of morality. The 10 mirrors from Qianlong's period are each stored in a specially made wood case. One imitates a mirror from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) that bears a wish for fertility and prosperity, and another replicates grape patterns on a Tang Dynasty (618-907) mirror to show exchanges between ancient China and the world.

8:30 am-5 pm, April 10-Oct 10, 9 am-4:30 pm, Oct 11-April 9, closed on Mondays. 171 Shenyang Road, Shenhe district, Shenyang, Liaoning province. 024-2484-3001.