Dense Forest and Waterfall in Chongshan Mountain. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Hu registered with a correspondence college when he was in his late 30s and, for the next two years, was tutored via mail by renowned calligrapher Ouyang Zhongshi, and Yao Zhihua, a famous Chinese painter.

"The experience was very special for me," Hu said. "The teachers there gave me a lot of encouragement and my skills improved quickly during the period."

In recent years, Hu has focused on painting traditional landscapes.

"It's impossible for us to learn all things well. So we must focus on something that we really like," he said.

He has carefully studied paintings by masters such as Huang Binhong and Li Keran, who have influenced him greatly, Hu said.

He said inspiration is very important for his artistic creation.

"I paint very quickly when I have inspiration, which is generated by the right environment and mood. I would rather stop and wait when I don't have inspiration," he said, adding that it can take him a month to finish one piece of work.