One of Fan Changqian's six paintings being donated to the National Art Museum of China. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

Family members of the Guangdong-born Singaporean-Chinese artist Fan Changqian (1908-85) recollect how much the painter was devoted to his work: Once he was taken to an exhibition and finding there were too many visitors there, he soon left, saying he would rather stay home painting than waste time in a crowed place.

Fan, who was formally trained in Shanghai's art schools, received guidance from modern masters of Chinese ink art, such as Wang Geyi and Pan Tianshou. And he developed his skills in the genres of flowers and birds, and mountains and waters.

He later moved to Singapore where he taught at schools there while concentrated on painting.

Fan's family donated six of his works to the National Art Museum of China in Beijing last week, including a painting that depicts bamboos, blossoming plum trees and stones -- the symbols of integrity in Chinese tradition. 

The painting had been sold to a collector in Singapore. But the family managed to persuade him to return the painting and exchange it with another piece of work.