Emperor Hui-tsung,                                                          

 Framed 18"x24"

Colletor's seals: Hsuan-Ho palace seal, Ch'in-Shu Hall seal of the metorpolitan prefect Keng Hsin-kung, three Emperor Ch'ien-lung seals and five others

  The Emperor Hui-tsung(1082-11350)was the eleventh son of the Emperor Shen-tsung. He was created prince of Tuan and acceded to the throne in 1102. Before his accession he had already acquired distinctive tastes, enjoying painting, calligraphy, historical and bibliographic exploration, archery and equestrian pursuits. He indulged in literary discussions and painting with his cousin Wang Shen and with another royal relative Chao Ling-jang. Chao was fond of the calligraphy of Huang T'ing-chien and Hui-tsung came under the influence of this love. Later he turned to the style of Hsueh Chi under the guidance of Wu Yuan-pien; his calligraphy changed in manner to become more forceful and less stiff, developing into what he himself called the 'slender gold' style. His paintings of landscapes, birds and flowers, and figures are a happy match of the best of the past and his own talent. Particularly on birds, he used rich ink with clear accents of colour so that they seem alive and ready to rise from the paper. He was an avid collector of painting and calligraphy and commissioned the work Hsuan-ho hua-p'u, a catalogue of famous paintings.