Mr Wang Wusheng

Anhui Week kicked off with a photography exhibition by respected photographer Wang Wusheng, an Anhui native, on June 24, 2010.

The photography exhibition was part of Anhui Week's "Tourism Memorable Anhui" and about 150 photos showcasing the province's native sceneries and its ancient houses which can be found lining its streets were on display.

Mr Wang said it was the beauty of Anhui which made him so proud of his hometown.

"I'm happy for Anhui to give me this opportunity to tell people about this province. I've always loved Anhui, especially its scenery. It has beautiful mountains."

He said he found the mountains of Huangshan "deeply impressive".

Mr Wang likes using a black and white contrast in his paintings as an expression of his feelings.

It also made him realize just how short his life is compared to these pine trees in the mountains.

"I was so moved by the scenery. I felt like it's a call from God. And the art work became my life's mission," he said.

When trying to find an angle for his paintings, he decided to focus on the clouds which could be found floating around the mountains.

"For my painting I decided to focus on the uncommon aspects of it. Most people take pictures of pine trees, flowers and grasses with their digital cameras when they climbed up the mountains. That’s too common."

He said he decided to use a black and white contrast in his paintings as an expression of his feelings.

"When using black and white, there is no time and no space in my pictures", Wang Wusheng said.

"When using black and white, there is no time and no space in my pictures."

Canadian tourist Shelly Letourneau said she enjoyed the photo exhibition because it showed her "a bit of Anhui".

She also liked it because the photos were enticing and she enjoyed admiring them.

Another Canadian tourist, Wendy Menzies, said she thought the snaps in the exhibition were "lovely and really exotic".

"The mountains in the pictures were really amazing. That's why I really liked it," she said.

The one thing which Mr Wang wanted the audience to take away from the exhibition is the love he has towards Huangshan Mountains.

"This is the homeland of my soul, the thoughts of a dreamland. It's the place where I grew up."

"Also, I feel that the speed of modernization in which the cities are developing at is too fast and at too quick a rate. Some of the images, of old ancient Chinese houses, depicted in the photos are hard to find nowadays.

"I wanted these photos to remind people which life is better: a modern one or a traditional one? This is an issue I wanted the audience to think over."

Wang Wusheng wants these photos to remind people which life is better: a modern one or a traditional one? This is an issue he wants the audience to think over.

By Michele Ong (Chinadaily.com.cn)