XIANG YANZHONG, a self-taught painter and one-time beggar, has finally gained recognition in Shenzhen after years of effort.

In an art auction in Shenzhen on Sunday, five of Xiang's paintings were sold at prices ranging from 2,800 yuan (US$350) to 3,800 yuan. He also sold another painting at 1,800 yuan immediately after the auction.

The painter said he was very satisfied with the sales and that the prices were higher than he expected.

"This is my first time to get my works auctioned. I never expected that they could be so well-received. Shenzhen is really the place where I realize my dream," said an excited Xiang.

Xiang was born in 1965 to a farmer's family in Huaihua, Hunan Province. The oldest of seven children, for 12 years he begged to support the family, starting at the age of 6. He stopped begging when he graduated from high school and started working at the age of 18.

Xiang has been painting since childhood, even when the family was in extreme poverty.

"Painting made my life happy. This is the only force that has been stimulating me all these years," he said.

He came to Shenzhen in 1995 and worked as a porter, a cleaner and a deliveryman. Last year, he made himself a full-time painter, but has been living in poverty all these years.

In October, Xiang showed his paintings along the streets in Buji, Longgang District, attracting public and media attention. He then exhibited his works, sponsored by an art gallery.

Xiang's paintings stand out for their content, combining a lot of his personal life experience, unlike the so-called art-house painters. His works are also distinguished for their free style and rich colors.

Editor: Wing