On November 11, Xiao Roujia, granddaughter of Zhang Daqian, a master of traditional Chinese painting, returned to her hometown Neijiang with her family for a roots-seeking journey.

During the trip, they visited the Zhang Daqian Museum, Memorial Hall, and the creation and research base of the Daqian Painting School. "This is the real hometown. The feeling of returning to Neijiang to seek roots felt particularly real," said Xiao Roujia, admitting that she had not returned for almost a decade and was pleasantly surprised by the tremendous changes in her hometown.

Inside the Zhang Daqian Museum and Memorial Hall, the rich and precious collections made the group feel a deep sense of familiarity. "It’s like returning home after a long time away, seeing familiar objects and photos, and memories come flooding back," Xiao shared. When talking about her homecoming experience, she could hardly contain her excitement. She particularly mentioned her grandfather’s family precept: "Wherever you go, never forget that you are Chinese, and you must hold fast to Chinese culture." This, she said, is the belief her family has always upheld.

It is reported that the titles "Neijiang City Chronicles" and "Neijiang County Chronicles," inscribed by Zhang Daqian in 1981, are still preserved in the Neijiang Archives.

As Zhang Daqian’s hometown, Neijiang is committed to building the city’s reputation as the "Hometown of Daqian Culture." In recent years, the local government has promoted artistic creation and exchange by establishing the Zhang Daqian Memorial Hall, Museum, and Art Museum, and hosting events such as the Daqian Painting and Calligraphy Festival. At the same time, efforts have been made to integrate culture and tourism by planning cultural tourism routes for the "Hometown of Daqian," organizing the Daqian Dragon Boat Economic, Trade, and Cultural Festival, and developing cultural and creative industries. Additionally, Daqian’s artistic elements have been incorporated into the city’s landscape, giving the city a distinctive charm reminiscent of the artistic conception of "splashed-ink" paintings.

Recently, the Zhang Daqian Memorial Hall was awarded the plaque of "Neijiang Branch of Sichuan Provincial Museum," which will further integrate resources and contribute to the development of the cultural reputation of the "Hometown of Daqian."