Freehand Landscape Painting
Freehand Landscape Painting (FLP), also known as Xie Yi Shan Shui, is one of the major styles of traditional Chinese Painting, with roots back to the Han Dynasty. It captures natural scenery through a dynamic aesthetic that blends imagination with a vision of a harmonious and ever-changing world.
I began learning and appreciating FLP as a kid when I met my art "coach" Mr. Lixing Liu. He introduced me to the world of painting and eventually became my lifelong friend. Every weekend, I would take his class in his home, where he taught me both FLP and Lantingji Xu - one of the most influential masterpieces in the history of Chinese Calligraphy. Occasionally, Mr. Liu would share his life lessons with me, like the Tuesday conversations between Mitch Albom and his sociology professor Morrie Schwartz.
Among the works I created over the years, two stand out as my personal favorites:
Meet Friends in Streams and Mountains without End, Zhexiong Liu, 2010
The Copy of Lantingji Xu, Zhexiong Liu, 2010
Photographs of Landscapes, Architecture, and Humans
I take photographs mostly with my phone and love to share images. I’m drawn to peaceful landscapes, symmetric architecture, and human subjects - scenes that reflect my philosophical interest in relationship between humans and nature. I travel all over the world either for vacations or conferences where I always make time to document moments that leave a lasting impression on me. Here are a few of my favorites:
The Morning of E'Mei Mountains, Leshan, Sichuan, China, Zhexiong Liu, 2015
The Autumn of Emory Quadrangle, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, Zhexiong Liu, 2018
The Summer of Porcelain Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, USA, Zhexiong Liu, 2019
The Spring of Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, South Carolina, USA, Zhexiong Liu, 2021
The Winter of Golden Canyon in Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada, USA, Zhexiong Liu, 2022
The Evening of Kopachuck State Park, Gig Harbor, Washington, USA, Zhexiong Liu, 2022
The Cloudy Day of New York Middletown, New York City, New York, USA, Zhexiong Liu, 2022
The Japanese Restaurant, Gyeongju, South Korea, Zhexiong Liu, 2022
The Noon of Mayan Pyramid, Chichen Itza, Mexico, Zhexiong Liu, 2022
The Warm Winter of Caribbean Beach, Trees & Activities, Cancun, Mexico, Zhexiong Liu, 2022
The Overlook of Downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA, Zhexiong Liu, 2023
The Rainy Day of Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto, Japan, Zhexiong Liu, 2023
The Sunny Day of Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Nara, Japan, Zhexiong Liu, 2023
The Bird's-eye View of Harrison Lake, British Columbia, Canada, Zhexiong Liu, 2023
The Twilight of Skyline Trail in Mount Rainier National Park, Ashford, Washington, USA, Zhexiong Liu, 2023
The Morning of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Arizona and Utah, USA, Zhexiong Liu, 2023
The Evening of The US-Mexico Wall, San Luis, Arizona, USA, Zhexiong Liu, 2023
The Snowy Day of The Toronto Tower, Toronto, Canada, Zhexiong Liu, 2024
The Summer of Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park, Port Angeles, Washington, USA, Zhexiong Liu, 2024
The Fall of Blackwater Falls State Park, Davis, West Virginia, USA, Zhexiong Liu, 2024
The Twilight of Sunset Key, Key West, Florida, USA, Zhexiong Liu, 2024
The Sunny Morning of White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA, Zhexiong Liu, 2025
The Adobe Hotel, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, Zhexiong Liu, 2025