KNOWN as a “soldier calligraphist,” Liu Chao held his second exhibition in Shenzhen Museum from Sept. 25 to 29.

　　Liu gave his first personal exhibition in Shenzhen at the end of 1996 to welcome Hong Kong’s return to the motherland.

　　“My success can never be separated from the army’s support,” Liu said.

　　Liu was born into a farmer’s family in Chongqing in 1966. At the age of 10, he began to write Spring Festival scrolls for his hometown villagers.

　　From primary school to senior high school, he was fascinated by calligraphy.

　　In 1986, he joined the army and served in the desert of northwestern China. He overcame many difficulties improving his calligraphy. Without brush and paper in the desert, he often practiced in the sand with his fingers.

　　Eventually the army realized his genius as a calligrapher, and in 1988, he was transferred to Chongqing as a professional art soldier. This enabled him to travel around the country and learn from renowned calligraphists like Qi Gong, Shen Peng and Li Tuo.

　　He began to form his own style, a combination of the bold and unstrained tradition of the Northwestern School and the delicate and elegant tradition of the Sichuan School.

　　His biggest contribution to calligraphy was to free traditional art from the ivory towers of scholars and men of letters.

　　As a soldier calligraphist, Liu never cares about the environments and furnishings as traditional scholars do. He often writes outdoors for soldiers and generals, which has been a special assignment for him.

　　“Without the army, I would not have become a successful calligrapher. I’m always a soldier and my job is to serve my comrades-in-arm and people with calligraphy,” Liu said.

　　Liu has held his exhibitions in Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Chongqing.

　　So far, 48 pieces of his work have been collected by domestic renowned museums and overseas museums in Japan, South Korea, Singapore and the U.S.