A life of paintings and gratitude

The preparation for the books took three years, says Jing Yucheng, vice-president of the China Power Art Association. During this time, the editors went through a total of nearly 1,000 works by Jiang spanning the past 45 years. They eventually selected 230 of them to be included in the books.

"Coincidentally, Jiang was born in 1949, the same year as New China,"Jing says. "The dramatic changes in our country over the past 70 years are fully reflected in Jiang's works. So, in my opinion, his works provide a reflection of New China's history."

Jiang's compelling painting style and powerful sentiment for his subjects won him recognition at home and abroad. He was invited to France and Germany for solo exhibitions, and was conferred the French Silver Medal for Merit and Devotion.

At Jiang's book launch, artist and art critic Cheng Dali said that Jiang is not just an ordinary practitioner, but a valiant and unyielding one.

"He is grounded in the field of Chinese painting and pushes the art style forward, constantly exploring the transformation of Chinese paintings and distancing it from tradition," Cheng says.

"It is really unnecessary for him to stress that he is a farmer's son. Upon opening their eyes, a farmer's son can see the blue sky, the clouds, the sheep and oxen. They can experience life in the most straightforward way, and this is the best environment to nurture an artist."