China son pays off US$2.8 million debt for parents by teaching calligraphy, impresses many
Creator with lifelong fascination for traditional art form clears cash arrears over 7-year period after opening teaching studio in 2016
A 31-year-old man in central China who used his skill in Chinese calligraphy to help his parents pay their debts of 20 million yuan (US$2.8 million) in seven years has trended on mainland social media.
Chen Zhao, who owns a calligraphy studio in Wuhan of Hubei province, started learning this traditional art at the age of five, the Changjiang Daily reported.
As he became fascinated by the art form, his parents often told him that he should not count on calligraphy to make a living.
Chen said he and his parents rowed when he was choosing which university and which major to apply to after he took the national university entrance exam, known as gaokao in China.
While his parents hoped he would study the business major, Chen insisted on pursuing his calligraphy dream.
To this end, Chen was enrolled by the Hubei Institute of Fine Arts, majoring in calligraphy.