Zao Wou-ki once wrote in his autobiography, "Gardening is a noble pastime among the Chinese, and it reminds me of my father" (Jardinier, pour un Chinois, est un passe-temps noble et me rappelle mon père.). In 1948 Zao left Shanghai to learn art in France, originally for only a few years, but his separation from his father proved to be permanent. He remembered his home in Shanghai; the house was large, the lawn was wide, and the garden was exquisite. When Zao drew, his father would look on, or sometimes prune the shrubs and bushes nearby; that is a blissful memory for Zao. The past resurfaces in the mind of the artist, carrying memories of a faraway home, of a distant culture, and of a unique country. The garden not only symbolizes the completeness of home for Zao, it is a harbor of calm in the storms of life, and a refuge for his soul.

The emotions and memories of his life naturally flow into his art. To Zao, his art is like his diary. Although most are abstract, such expressions of poetry and sentimentalism are surely a fitting reflection of his life. As a student, Zao learned of the styles of masters such as Cézanne and Matisse, and gorged himself on the collections of art in the museums of Paris. His artistic sails bloomed full, and in the early days he created numerous lithographs, as well as scenic paints of sketchlike qualities. Scenery, buildings and nature, humans and animals were all a symbolic part of his art, but not themes of his art. Eventually he began to reinterpret these symbolic appearances from the perspective of the universe, and "symbols" began to appear in his works.

In 1951 Zao saw an exhibit of Paul Klee in Switzerland, and was entranced. Klee favored Eastern art, and worked within a small poetic space; his petite colors, lines and symbols enthralled Zao and led him down the path of abstract art. After 1954 Zao entered the realm of ancient Chinese calligraphy, attracted by the structure and meaning within Chinese art. He has by now left the figural, and is using abstract symbols similar to oracular runes and bronze bell carvings, within a poetic space and with endless variety of colors, to present the spirit of the East.

"Le jardin abandonné" (The Abandoned Garden), an oil on canvas created in 1955, is dominated by criss-crossings of symbols similar to words. Through these symbols the artist gave the work suggestibility and a sense of tragic, theatrical tension. In this field of dark green Nature, thin lines twirl and colors dance restlessly, symbolizing the sense of unrest in the garden. Perhaps the garden is abandoned, and the departure of man leaves behind only the artist's melancholy and regret. The departure of man was the departure of his father, or his own personal emotive changes; his wife Lan-Lan was about to leave as well. Zao is a sensitive artist, and his art is not only indicators of his life, but an anchor for his life as well.

Between 1955 and 1956, his problems with his wife drove him to emotive depths, and he was frequently surrounded by destructive and sorrowful emotions. However, also in this period, he created such renowned masterpieces such as "Hommage à Chu-Yuan" (1955), "Hommage à Tou-Fou" (1956), "Stèle pour un ami", "Foule noire"and others. In the early 50's his art was titled, but the titles were without narrative intent. We can say that rational thought cannot comprehend his art, and only through emotional understanding can one gain appreciation. After 1955, Zao gave up on figurative art entirely, and returned to the Chinese classics; he chose to interpret nature through Chinese philosophy, and represent it with emotive abstraction, thus continuing his exploration of a wonderful and exciting world of abstractions.