Late Chinese scholar and antiquity connoisseur Rong Geng. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Rong's assembly of classical Chinese paintings also inspires envy among collectors in the field. Among his former collection were works by master painters of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), as well as by all the members of the "four great painters surnamed Wang of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)".

Rong Pu, a daughter of Rong Geng, says, "From 1956 until his death, father had donated these treasures－which he purchased by saving on food and clothes－to the country so that more people could study them for academic purposes."

Rong wrote books that he viewed as another way to share his extensive research of the ancient writing. They are widely acknowledged among scholars and collectors and today, they remain important references for researchers.