Chen Lifu
Pan was appointed director of the National Academy (Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts) by the Kuomintang Minister of Culture Chen Lifu in 1945. Two years later, he lost his appointment to Wang Rizhang, who was more acceptable to the Guomindang. Despite this professional disappointment, Pan took up his painting with renewed energy, making breakthrough works that fused modern and traditional idioms. In the era of People's Republic, he was again appointed the head of the academy in 1957 which lasted until 1966.