Chen Cheng-po’s first visit to mainland China was in the summer of 1928. By 1929, after finishing his study in Japan, Chen accepted Wang Jiyuan's invitation to begin teaching at the Xinhua Art College in Shanghai. He returned to Taiwan in 1933 because of escalating tensions between Japan and China. During his days in Shanghai, he began to create works featuring scenic historical spots in China. Influenced by ink painters Ni Zan and Bada Shanren, he formed his own personal style by applying traditional Chinese ink painting styles to Western oil painting. At the same time, Chen continued working on female nudes in oil painting and sketches as he had learned in Japan, and developed a series of watercolor nude sketches.