A resident lecturer at the Taiyuan Shanxi University, Zinan Hu was visiting the country as a guest of the New Zealand Chinese Language Association, with the aim of teaching Chinese language and characters through art.
Columba College Chinese language teacher Chris Whalley said Mr Hu had visited schools in Rotorua, Hamilton and Wellington, and would be teaching year 6 to year 13 pupils at the school today.
Mr Hu also visited the University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic art school as part of his visit.
"He is a leading person in his field, from a top university and it is a real privilege to have him," Mr Whalley said.
Chinese characters were originally based on pictographs and had changed over the years to more simplified characters, he said.
A free exhibition of Mr Hu's work would be displayed at the Sew Hoy building, in Stafford St, on Saturday from 11am to 3pm.
