In 2006, Wu Weishan, a sculptor of note, created a statue of Laozi, the great philosopher who lived more than 2,400 years ago, in which the semiabstract xieyi ("to draw the spirit") style of classical Chinese painting was integrated to depict a man whose wisdom and philosophical views have transcended time and space till now.

Recently, the bronze statue, titled Unity of Men and Heaven — Laozi, was unveiled at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens during Wu's visit to Greece.

Wu, now director of the National Art Museum of China in Beijing, and Anna Vassiliki Karapanagiotou, director general of the National Archaeological Museum, witnessed the sculpture being added to the latter's collection as a gift traveling far from the East to connect the audience in the West.