Boats and rivers are a constant source of inspiration for Sichuan sculptor He Liping , who was born and grew up on the banks of the Yangtze.
A professor at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, He is famous for works characterised by rich imagination, primitive simplicity and close connection to nature.
'Rivers and boats are part of my childhood memory,' said He, 59. 'The boat carries us to places afar, forever drifting in the river, like many uncertainties in our life.'
The Old Boat, a bronze piece created in 1996, is representative of his work. It features two people embracing each other on the bow of a ship.
'Love can endure and survive all odds in life,' He said. 'With this piece, I hope people can feel the warmth and love in it.'
He has donated The Old Boat to the South China Morning Post's Homes for Hope project, which is helping two earthquake-hit villages in Sichuan province rebuild houses and infrastructure.