Cheng Wu-Fei

Cheng Wu-Fei studied at Central University at Nanking, where he met his future wife, Chang Chien-Ying. They both won British Council grants to study in Britain and achieved places at the Slade, where they were influenced by British painter Stanley Spencer. They began their studies in Britain in Western Painting Techniques in 1946. After the communist takeover of China, they remained in Great Britain. He started an academic career while his wife presented traditional Chinese painting skills all over the country and also presented Chinese cooking in the television. After initially painting in the Western style in Britain, Cheng later turned back to Chinese techniques and became an agent of traditional Chinese painting. Cheng and his wife Chang arranged that when they had both died, their ashes were to be scattered in front of the magnolia trees at Kenwood House, Hampstead.