Starting as a staff member at a county-level culture center in his home province of Hebei, Liu Kun (1959-2017) endeavored in the realm of ink art for decades, before becoming a prominent painter and a resident artist of the China National Academy of Painting.

An art museum named after him was recently unveiled in Dingsheng Cultural Industry Park, in Liu's hometown Chengde. The gallery, surrounded by lush plants and equipped with a serene garden, display more than 180 artworks from Liu's oeuvre over years in five showrooms.

Liu was well-versed in the depictions of landscapes, plants and animals, whether the painting was done in big or smaller size. One room is dedicated to his figure paintings of the ethnic groups living in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. His studio has also been re-created at the museum where he produced several important works in the last three years of his life.

The Liu Kun Art Museum is open between 9:30 am and 5 pm, from Tuesday to Sunday.