His hometown is Zhenjiang County of Jiangsu province and he studied painting in Shanghai Arts Academy in 1921. In October 1937, he went toYan'an and entered into the public school of northern Shanxi. After graduation, he worked in Wuhan China Youth Salvation Association. In 1939, he and Li-Qun held " Art Exhibition In Front Line " in Lu Xun Arts Academy. In 1942, he organized exhibition with Ma Da, Jiao Xingi in Lu Xun Arts Academy. In 1945, he worked as Xinhua News Agency correspondent in the Implementation Group in Suiyuan which belonged to army headquarters. Back to Yan'an in 1946, he worked as researcher in literary and artistic department of the Central Party School. In 1949, he worked as professor of Arts and Crafts Department of Beijing Normal University, and in 1953, he went to North Korea to do fight sketch. In 1956, he visited the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union. In 1965, he entered into Beijing Fine Art Academy . He once served as vice president of Beijing Fine Art Academy and Beijing Arts Association.     In the history of the development of Chinese oil paintings, his oil paintings created in Yan'an period had special significance. These works painted by kerosene were honest, subtle, filling with local beauty and aesthetic feelings of revolutionaries. The paintings were created in the war years and experienced the war, thus had precious historical value. In 1950s, he painted in the UK and began to do research and attract the Impressionism , and he created a series of excellent works, like "Hazy Well". He not only created oil paintings and wood carvings, but also did Chinese painting. In the years dominated by the theory of "Faithful Imitation of Nature", he strongly advocated"beyond immediate" and supported to show imagination to do artistic creation and put into practice, which was commendable.