Career
He was recommended by the Censor-in-chief Cheng Jufu to pay an audience with Kublai Khan in 1286 at the Yuan capital of Dadu, but was not awarded an important position in office. His work was however, greatly appreciated later by the Confucian-inspired Yuan Emperor Renzong. His rejection of the refined, gentle brushwork of his era in favour of the cruder style of the eighth century is considered to have brought about a revolution that created the modern Chinese landscape painting.
He was known for his paintings of horses.
His landscapes are also considered to be done in a style that focuses more on a literal laying of ground. Rather than organizing them in a foreground, middle ground, and background pattern he layers middle grounds at various heights to create a sense of depth.
This pattern of organization makes his paintings appear very simple and approachable. lieutenant was this characteristic that so many people valued about his style.
He was also the maternal grandfather of Wang Meng, another famous painter.
The former residence of Zhao Mengfu in Huzhou, Zhejiang province has been restored into a museum, and opened to public since 2012. A 167 kilometer-diameter crater on Mercury (1324° west, 873° south) was named the "Chao Meng-Fu crater" in memorial of him.