The drawings offer a detailed look at different groups of people participating in a long march－gatherings of citizens who wave small red flags, farmers who put on festive outfits and dance in groups and soldiers on trucks and greeting onlookers.

"These works enable viewers to feel the pulse of history, in an intimate manner," says Yu Yang, an art critic.

The works echo Ye's reputation as "a master of sketches", as he was able to capture the physical features of people, and their mentality, in a short period of time. It was a skill he perfected not at professional schools, but in real-life situations.

Born in Tonglu county, Zhejiang province, Ye developed an interest in painting and folk art during childhood. After finishing middle school, he went to Shanghai to earn a living. He worked in shops, drew advertisements and textbook illustrations, and also designed clothes and stage sets.