6 years ago, Wang Suzhong, an 88-year-old man from Chengdu in China's Sichuan province became a nude model.

Since then, he goes to a local college every day where he earns 100 RMB (S$20.80) per day modelling with his clothes off (it's 30 RMB less if he models with his clothes on).

Finding purpose from nude modelling

Wang was struggling to get by before becoming a nude model in 2012.

He was living alone at that time on his 700 RMB (S$145) monthly pension. He now has more money to spend and people to talk to. 

He stays at the school 8 hours every day, posing and taking breaks.

During his breaks, he says that the school's teachers and students are always very kind to him, chatting with him and buying him food.

He enjoys interacting with the students too:

When they're done drawing, I'll go over and take a look at each student's work to see who drew well and who drew poorly.

He has since made a name for himself in the field, and even secured a role in a TV programme that highlights the problem of 'empty-nesters' in China.

Son disowned him

While his new 'career' has improved his life immensely, Wang's children see his choice of work as 'shameful' and have disowned him.

In fact, his third son, whom Wang described as 'uncultured and close-minded', was so opposed to his new line of work that he said he wouldn't be around to bury him when Wang dies.

His son also got his two sisters to break off contact with their father.

However, Wang remains undeterred in his choice of profession.

In an interview with Pear Video that has gone viral (it garnered almost 130,000 likes and was shared over 16,000 times), he said:

"I'm proud of this work. I don't owe anyone anything and I don't borrow from anyone else.

I don't steal either."

He also said that he's not nervous at all and thinks what he's doing is a form of art:

"Chairman Mao once said in 1971 that Chinese people can do life drawings. Later in the late 1989 and early 1990, Chengdu Daily ran life drawings almost every day."

[related_story]

Netizens condemn Wang's children

Translation: My heart goes out to this grandpa, and I admire him. Everyone should respect others' aspirations and way of life.

Translation: As an art student, there's really not much emotion when it comes to drawing nude bodies. It's similar to drawing a porcelain pot or an apple.

Translation: These children can't spend time with their father and keep him company, yet they don't allow him to go out and do something?

You can watch his interview to learn more about how he has found his purpose in life and companionship below:

[video width="854" height="480" mp4="https://static.mothership.sg/1/2018/01/grandpa-nude-model.mp4"][/video]

Top image via Weibo