"The land and people helped me reach the origin of life, … igniting for me a road to a spiritual haven," he said.

The reasons that kept bringing him back to the highland are illustrated in his works — "the unique geographic landscapes, the monasteries that exhibit impeccable aesthetics, the striking relic sites, the glamorous murals … Their existence exceeds other things."

They, a work on show, is nearly 2.3 meters in length. It depicts a group of pilgrims Li Xiaoke met at the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of the Xizang autonomous region, in March 2011.

He was told by the group that they set out from the Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture, in Sichuan province, in October of the previous year. "I was touched by their determination to endure the cold and hardships along the way for about six months," he said.