The first artist to be exhibited at the new Sun Nan Life boutique store, Zhang has been practicing calligraphy for 40 years. A few years ago, he moved to Jingdezhen in Jiangxi province, also in the country's east. Zhang began his new life in the city, which is known as the "ceramics capital" of China, by working his calligraphy on porcelain.

"It is a traditional craft with more than 1,000 years of history, and it is more colorful today and the experience more enriching, thanks to modern tools and techniques," Zhang says.

Hard metallic knives have made it possible for him to create different curves on the surface of ceramic items.

"I can also make inscriptions in the clay before it is baked," he says. "But whatever new technique is used, the core values of Chinese calligraphy remain the same."

Xu Mingsong, a Shanghai-based art critic, says Zhang has created calligraphy primarily on small objects such as teacups and paperweights.

"These everyday items have been a precious part of ancient cultural traditions," Xu says. "They have inspired artists and scholars."