Western painting are usually quite simple. After the painting has done, a signature on it shall end it. But for chinese painting, it has metaphors, it requires some process of thinking and evaluation.

Dr. Cheng usually will teach his students in such a way that he did the demonstration first as he believes that through this way, the students are able to learn it faster and more effective.

In Malaysia, it is very hard to spread chinese painting because Malaysia does not have the ambience. Chinese painting is not a course in Malaysia university. During the time where Dr. Cheng was the principal of the Central Art Academy, he promoted chinese calligraphy and that is why in Fine Art, there is chinese painting which other universities do not provide.

"My university has it because i was there to promote it. Even if i am busy, there are two other teachers who can assist me. So right now the students who are already graduated, at least they master both watercolor painting and chinese painting. Whether o not the students study chinese painting in a deeper manner, it depends on the students. It takes time because you need to do many many research. It does not mean that once you graduate, you are the best. You need to find new theme, do something different from what your teacher did. You need to go deeper, implement some of your thoughts. Use language to express, especially if you can express in just 4 lines poem.

In Malaysia society, it requires persistance. People who are involved in research site on chinese painting are not many. People started questioning you on what you are doing? Can it allows you to earn something? If can't why do you still continue? I told them as long as it does not lead me to starvation, i can still sustain my life to research on this. Why not?

My parents did suspect me. Why am i spending so much time writing poems? it can't be sold. It was very hard to sell a painting last time.

It is definitely difficult. Including my parents. They know it is difficult to survive. They were worried about my life. Perseverance. It pushes me to go around the world, exhibit my work. Moreover, encouragement from teacher is very important. I have a teacher. He was a monk from Penang. He influenced me a lot. He knew how to write poem, a calligrapher, a painter and he was a . While i was in Taiwan he encouraged me to further study my literature, to practise chinese calligraphy.