An exhibition now at the National Art Museum of China celebrates the calligraphic achievements of Gao Ershi (1903-77). On display are some 170 calligraphic scrolls from the collections of his two memorial halls. One is in Gao's birthplace, Taizhou, in Shandong province, and the other in Nanjing, where he lived most of his life. [Photo by Jiang Dong/chinadaily.com.cn]

Gao is a prominent figure in the history of 20th century Chinese art for his versatility in calligraphy, poetry and Sinology. His ability to write caoshu, or cursive script, is most appreciated.

Gao studied ancient calligraphy for decades. He was mostly inspired by the various styles of tomb inscription rubbings. Throughout his lifetime, he stressed the importance of "change", which he believed is the only way to carry forward the tradition.

The exhibition runs until May 17.