Xiong Bingming's sculptures which have been donated to the National Art Museum of China. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Yang says one of his favorite pieces is a woman's head sculpture that Xiong modeled after his mother; it shows "a temperament that can be felt in all mothers", Yang says.

He adds that Xiong created many bird sculptures as well, and Yang owns one which he loves too much to include it in the donation.

On the same day, NAMOC also received a donation of three calligraphic pieces of Yu Youren (1879-1964), an educator, scholar and politician who is famous for his excellence in calligraphy.

They were donated by Zhu Yilong, a Beijing-based entrepreneur and calligraphy collector.

Born in Northwest China's Shaanxi province, Yu learned calligraphy from stone rubbings featuring writings that date back to the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534). Gradually he focused on the practice of caoshu or the cursive-style script.

Yu moved to Taiwan in 1949. His calligraphic works are sought by many collectors.

Contact the writer at linqi@chinadaily.com.cn