Ma Haifang (born in 1956) is the best artist of his kind in Beijing today and was chosen in 1998 to illustrate the calendar given to the foreign Heads of States by the Prime Minister. Ma Haifang has received an impressive list of awards including many first prizes for Chinese paintings and calligraphy. Ma Haifang is traditional by the choice of his technique (ink and wash on rice paper) and modern in the sense that he introduces bold colours and very expressive characters in his paintings. He is a wonderful illustrator of Beijing's old traditions. The scenes he illustrates have a sociological and historical interest since they depict a way of life that existed before the revolution and which has survived in part today. He chooses to show life in the streets where most Chinese people used to live. The streets belonged to shopkeepers, small craftsmen and were a place where a wide range of activities took place. Ma Haifang introduces us to this specific world as he paints open air hairdressers, ear cleaners, bird walkers, small street sellers, majong players and many scenes of the life and traditions of old Beijing now disappearing. He paints with humour and obvious love for ordinary people.