Visitors admire Lin Fengsu’s paintings at the exhibition at Guan Shanyue Art Museum. Photos courtesy of the organizers

This spring, visit the “In Search of Peach Blossom Spring in Lingnan” exhibition at the Guan Shanyue Art Museum to admire Lin Fengsu’s poetic Chinese landscape paintings.

A student of late masters Guan Shanyue and Li Xiongcai, Lin (1939-2017) not only carried forward the innovative spirit of the Lingnan painting school but also expanded the boundaries of modern landscape painting and enriched its visual language.

Lin loved reading classical Chinese poetry from childhood and was deeply immersed in that tradition. His landscape paintings are not literal illustrations of poems; rather, drawing on his own interpretation of poetic sensibility. He discovered lyricism in ordinary mountains and rivers and expressed it through a vivid, image-driven artistic language.

Lin Fengsu’s paintings are on display at the exhibition. 

The exhibition highlights Lin’s role in the modern transformation of Lingnan landscape painting. The exhibition unfolds as a journey: paintings of winding rivers evoke the artist’s search for poetry in the land, leading visitors from Lingnan to Sichuan and revealing how poetic inspiration emerges in his works.

In Lin’s portrayals of the Lingnan landscape, classical poetry comes alive and informs his authentic and evocative depictions of nature. An interactive area invites visitors to create their own poetic artworks, offering a quiet, participatory dialogue with the artist’s vision.

After extensive travels, Lin found his personal utopia in the rural landscapes of Lingnan. A cave-inspired installation recreates the legendary cave entrance, transforming viewing into an experience of discovery.

Pavilion-like settings, modeled on Lin’s home courtyard, reflect his longing for the pleasures of nature. Visitors are encouraged to sit, linger, and immerse themselves in the scenery, experiencing the artist’s world through his paintings.

The exhibition’s artistic realm draws on classical works such as Ouyang Xiu’s “Old Drunkard Pavilion Record” and Tao Yuanming’s “The Peach Blossom Spring.” Visitors who take photos at the exhibition and share them on social media can present their posts to claim an elegant souvenir.

Dates: Through April 10

Venue: Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Futian District (關山月美術館)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宮站), Exit F2