The annual "Return Home" exhibition featuring artworks by painters of the Lingnan School of Painting from all over the world kicked off in Guangzhou on the morning of August 10.

People visit the exhibition on August 10.

Over 70 famous painters attend the exhibition, up 25 percent from last year, and more than 300 paintings are on display, a record for such a joint exhibition in China. The oldest participating painters are 92-year-old Hu Yuji from the USA and Li Rukuang from China’s Macao SAR, while the youngest is only in his thirties.

The exhibition is set to run until August 31 at the following four venues: the Gao Jianfu Memorial Hall and the Museum for Sages and Men of Virtue in Nanyue (Guangdong) in Yuexiu District, as well as the Gao Jianfu and Gao Qifeng Memorial Hall and the Gao Jianfu Art Research and Exchange Center in Panyu District.

People present flowers to the bronze statue of Gao Jianfu.

Ou Haonian, 85, is one of the third-generation successors of the Lingnan School of Painting and one of the two conveners of this year’s exhibition. Ou made a special trip to Guangzhou for the opening ceremony from San Francisco. At the Gao Jianfu Memorial Hall, Ou paid homage to the bronze statue of Gao Jianfu, one of the three founders of the School.

Ou said he is now living in Taiwan, but has always wanted to exhibit his paintings back home in Guangdong where he was born. He was also excited to see the masterpieces by young painters at the exhibition, and hopes to promote the development of the Lingnan School of Painting.

People attend the opening ceremony of the exhibition.

Li Yan, curator of Gao Jianfu Memorial Hall, said the exhibition promotes the artistic creation and academic research of the Lingnan School of Painting in both China and abroad and honors the founders of the school.

The Lingnan School of Painting reflects a style of painting founded in 19th century Guangdong by Gao Jianfu, Gao Qifeng and Chen Shuren who were collectively known as "The Three Greats of Lingnan". This year marks the 140th anniversary of Gao Jianfu’s birth.