Painted on the eve of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937, the ink brush painting Rooster Crowing in the Rain portrays a rooster, standing on a tall rock, crowing against the wind and rain. This painting symbolizes Xu Beihong's expectation that the Chinese people would rise up against the Japanese invasion.

Recalling Past Valor was painted on January 28, 1937 to commemorate the five-year anniversary of the January 28 Incident in 1932 when the Chinese army fought the Japanese invasion in Shanghai. Looking back on the past, the artist expressed his strong emotions about the heroic national struggle. With its head held high, the rooster symbolizes bravery and perseverance of the Chinese people. The yellow sunflowers taking much of the space in the painting supports the optimism expressed there.