Chinese-style Oil Paintings Depicting Ordinary Life

If you like oil paintings, I bet you would like to visit a Chinese-style oil painting shop on your trip to Beijing. The shop is called Ju Qi Zhai, and it’s located on Liulichang East Street.

When I entered the shop, the shop owner Mr. Huang received me warmly and gave me a brief self-introduction. He himself is an artist. He was brought up in a small, poor village. Though life was difficult there, he and his friends held out hope for a brighter future. So he set hope as the theme of most of his paintings.

He then brought me to one of his paintings. I was attracted by the Great Wall on it right away. Instead of a grey color, this Great Wall was red. And pretty soon I realized that the Great Wall was made of a team of boys. Above their heads there is a white dove flying in the sky.

The dove represents hope and peace that will fall upon children. The children, wearing red, symbolize a prosperous and powerful country.

Some other paintings show the traditional courtyards of old Beijing. As I was raised in Beijing, these pictures reminded me of my childhood memories. The traditional courtyards are shown exactly as they were: the grey bricks, a wooden gate posted with red couplets, and a pair of stone lions keeping guard at the door.

I have to admit that old Beijing really has a lingering charm.

The artist also focuses on painting Chinese ethnic minority girls. Each of them is wearing the colorful traditional dress of her minority group. Some of the charming girls are playing flutes or other instruments. Gazing at them attentively, I felt like I could hear the melodious sound.

What I appreciated

Oil paintings depicting ordinary life

What customers appreciate

Chinese-style oil paintings