The works of Fu Juan-fu have inherited classical techniques and styles while also being innovative; and art circles have praised his unique ink sceneries as the “landscapes of Master Fu”. This work portrays Alishan. After climbing the mountain to observe the ever changing sea of clouds, Fu Juan-fu used the washing technique he had developed himself to paint the soft changes of the clouds, the contrast technique to contrast the vastness and nimbleness of the sea of clouds, and the breaking technique to give the clouds depth and weight. Different blotting methods show the many changes of the clouds, like a scene from a poem. Moreover, the fissuring method he used to portray the sheer cliffs and precipitous rocks of Taiwan’s mountains was developed by Fu after he had traveled the cross-island highway. For this, Fu adapted the horse-tooth texture stroke and axe-cut texture stroke, using them to express the unique textures of Taiwan’s mountains and rock formations.

Fu incorporated western sketching techniques into traditional ink wash paintings, as he has expressed himself: “The wonders of nature have made my brush and ink undergo major changes, following my feelings. It embodies the famous words of Fan Kuan—‘Study nature instead of the masters’—and Shi Tao—‘Seek out peaks to sketch’.”

Among the painters that crossed the sea and made the famous mountains of Taiwan their subject matter, only Fu Chuan-Fu developed unique ways to depict them and show the remarkable cloudscapes of Taiwan. As such, he has been considered the “spokesman for Taiwan’s landscape painting” and praised as the “pioneer of Taiwan’s ink wash painting”.