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Guo Weiqu(1908-1971), was a renowned painter, art theorist, educator and connoisseur. Born into a literati family in Weixian (now Weifang),Shandong, he became an extraordinarily erudite gentleman, a scholar-painter. Inheriting the "liberal and versatile man" tradition of the Chinese literati, he got trained in both Chinese painting and western painting on the strength of his cultivated family and his own talent. He probed deep into both art theories and practice as a versatile and talented man. While having composed plentiful fundamental theoretical works and notes in art with thorough knowledge of tradition, he had devoted to the innovation of flower painting in his teaching and art practice, and managed to realize the modernization of this branch of traditional painting, paving the cornerstone for the modern development of it. However, such a scholar-painter who had achievements in several academic fields is far from fully acknowledged.Considering that, this thesis shall go into detailed discussion of the life of Guo Weiqu as a liberal and versatile man, exploring the experiences of his success and the practical significance of this particular tradition. The paper comprise three parts:introduction, discussion and conclusion.The introduction is the literature review of the study of Guo Weiqu, analyzing the state of art of the study of him and related activities in the last forty years in particular, to provide the motivation of this paper.As for the discussion, the first part argues that his path to be a "liberal and versatile man" formed by no accident, but a necessity, through the analysis of his environment and character. His social and cultural background, family and personal talent all contributed to it. The second part, focusing on his life path of pursuit in this direction, contends that with his interest, talent, and lifelong devotion, he had achieved an enlightened apprehension of the ancient and the modern, the east and the west, in terms of principles of art; and obtained an interconnected proficiency in poetry, calligraphy, painting and seal, as well as in the teaching of them. The third part, through the discussion of his creation, argues that his innovation of flower painting is realized from theme to expression and brush techniques. The change in thinking and feeling leads to that in brush method, and innovations in thinking and theory results in those in techniques. That is Guo Weiqu's view of art creation and art in life.The conclusion surveys his achievements in the field of flower painting, the transition from traditional to modern. His pursuit as "a liberal and versatile man" had transcended the boundaries between theory and practice, the ancient and the modern, the east and the west. He had risen above the categorization of poetry, calligraphy, painting and seal, and gotten loose from the distinction between the high-brow and popular. His experiences and achievements are of high value for our research and practice in Chinese painting, for the education of master and doctor candidates in art practice in fines arts institutions, and for the inheritance, protection and growth of Chinese traditional culture and the resurrection of it.