He authored a number of scholarly works on Chinese painting and calligraphy, and collections he assembled have been the subjects of research and exhibition projects by major museums, art academies, and publishing houses.
Tsao also built lasting friendships with fellow art appreciators who lived in or travelled to the San Francisco Bay Area, including the artist Zhang Daqian,[6] professors of Chinese art history Michael Sullivan and Chu-tsing Li (pinyin: Li Zhujin) and their students Wan Qingli, Cai Xingyi, Britta Erickson and James Soong, scholar Fred Fang-yu Wang and the collectors Richard Fabian, Michael Gallis and Michael Shih.
As China re-opened in the 1980s and 1990s, Tsao traveled there frequently, building friendships with the Shanghai Museum curators Xie Zhiliu and Zheng Wei, artists Li Keran, Zhu Jichan, Huang Junbi, Lou Shibai, dealer/collectors Robert Zhang (pinyin: Zhang Zongxian)[5] and others.
[1][4] He was recognized by the organizers for collecting art not for investment, but rather, to elevate the spirit and nurture refinement.
[1][4] After his passing in 2011, Mr. Tsao's heirs established the Mozhai Foundation (in reference to Tsao's studio name), a charitable family foundation dedicated to supporting research and educational programming in the field of traditional Chinese art and culture.