The Bada Shanren Memorial Museum was expanded in 2010. [Photo by Rosemary Bolger/chinadaily.com.cn]

It is the canvasses that perhaps reveal most about Nanchang, rather than the artwork itself. From scrolls to skyscrapers, the most modern face of China crashes against the truly traditional in the southeastern city.

By day, visitors ponder Bada Shanren's melancholy creatures on scrolls at a Memorial Hall dedicated to the master of literati art - the trifecta of poetry, calligraphy and painting. Housed in a former Taoist monastery where it is believed the master painter spent time with his friends here, the modest buildings and inner courtyards create a peaceful setting.