Galloping Horses: Artist Xu Beihong and His Family in Mao's China

Famous for his ink brush paintings of galloping horses pioneering Chinese artist Xu Beihong (1895-1953) integrated Chinese and Western painting and mentored generations of Chinese artists. Galloping Horses describes how his family and legacy survived the turbulence of Maos ever-changing policies which dictated the direction of art and music from 1949 through the devastating ten-year Cultural Revolution.Xu Beihongs daughter narrates this story of the Xu family its tragedies and the perseverance of Xus widow Liao Jingwen keeper of her husbands legacy for sixty years after his death. The author a pianist and arts administrator together with Xu Beihongs son an artist and art teacher and their mother with commitment and struggle carried forward Xus legacy and accomplished his unfulfilled missions. The author describes her life and education as a music student in Mao Zedongs China and her work as a professional musician in Jiang Qings model Peking opera.