In the field of painting, he draws on the brush and ink technique of the great masters. He travels extensively to sketch nature. His figure painting draws on inspiration of the Dunhuang caves while his flower and bird paintings have evolved with a distinctive flavor of his own.

His calligraphy exhibits a unique quality with reference to inscriptions on tombstones of the Han (B.C. 206-220 A.D.), the Northern Wei (386-534) and the Tang Dynasty (618-907) as well as manuscripts of the Song (960-1279) and the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Among the 80 exquisite pieces included in the exhibition, "Buddha in Gold-line Sketch Style" is a combination of the Dunhuang sketches and Jao's calligraphy work. Pieces also include the "Lotus in Red Ink," "Landscape in Tang Dynasty" and the "Buddhist Poem of Monk Zhiqin."

One of his masterpieces is his calligraphic work, "The Poem of Gao Shi." Gao Shi (702-765), was a military veteran and also a famous poet in the Tang Dynasty. Gao's poems are simple, powerful and heroic. Jao successfully integrated the spirit of Gao's poetry with his own calligraphy based on the Tang style.

Born into a wealthy family in Chaozhou, Guangdong Province, Jao is largely an autodidact, who began to publish scholarly works at a young age. Later, he was invited to work as lecturer and researcher in a number of colleges on the mainland.

    After 1949, he taught at the University of Hong Kong after where he learned Sanskrit from the Indian diplomat andChinese expert V.V.