T'ang Haywen and Balthus first met in the late 1960s when Balthus was the Director of the Villa Medici in Rome. Their friendship deepened after 1978, when T'ang visited Balthus several times at his Grand-Chalet in Rossinière, Switzerland. Balthus admired T'ang's work for its fusion of traditional Chinese ink techniques with modern abstraction, seeing in his ink washes a profound expression of China's spirit.

In 1996, Balthus wrote a preface for T'ang's retrospective exhibition at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, in which he reflected: "...he translated Fujian poems written in a very ancient language of the mountain and made us share their music with archaic intonations. He spent long hours gazing at the landscapes and painting in the early hours of the day. I love his dynamic and harmonious inks that demonstrate the spirit of China. Sometimes I think of him when I see the top of the mountains disappear in the mist."

This tribute underscores Balthus's deep appreciation for T'ang's artistry and their shared connection through their love of nature and the poetic essence of their work.