At the age of six, he began to study with the family tutor. Soon, he and several other children who liked to paint discovered a great treasure--The Mustard Seed Garden Painting Manual. For four years he studiously copied the drawings in the book, and although he could not read the text, he still understood what it was about.
六歲啟蒙入私塾，得了一本「芥子園畫譜」，更是如獲至寶，從頭到尾學著畫。