Born in Canton, South China, in November 1938, as one of nine children in an extremely poor family. In spite of the deprivation, his love of art flourished and he developed his artistic skills without formal training.
In the 1960s, he was able to open his own gallery in Hong Kong. His focus on the everyday lives of the common people struck a nerve and he experienced success.
He moved to San Francisco in 1974, and eventually found support from a gallery owner willing to display his works. The four paintings on display were all sold on the first day.
Demand for his work has steadily grown and gained him respect as one of the Bay Area’s leading artists.