A salute to a legend's long life (3)

Zao continued to work very hard, even in his later years. He especially loved making large-scale paintings, which required a ladder to complete. He was often so caught up in his work that he fell from the ladder several times, injuring his arm, waist and shoulder. Despite this, he never hired an assistant.

In 1985 the then 64-year-old returned to China to give a one-month painting master class at his alma mater in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. Twenty-seven teachers and students from eight art institutions participated in the class, exceeding the planned quota of 15 people.

"He was always on time and spent a whole day in the class. And he made revisions of every student's work," recalls Zhang Xiaoming, deputy director of China Academy of Art's Oil Painting Department, who was the class monitor.

"He even let his wife be the model," adds Xiao Feng, the academy's former director.

Zao revisited the school in 2001 and 2004 to teach.

Zao's only son Jialing says his father had long hoped to build a memorial to his art in Hangzhou.

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