Cao Zhongda

UZBEKISTAN, Samarkand

Cao Zhongda was an official and a painter from the Sogdia region (present day Samarkand, Uzbekistan). In painting, he was especially skilled in the depiction of Buddhist figures. He initiated a new style referred to as “Caoyi Chushui,” in which the clothing worn by the figures are aptly fitted, as if the cloth had just been drenched in water. This style is also known as the “Cao style,” and had an extensive influence on the painting of figures after the Northern Qi dynasty (550–577). It holds an important status in Buddhist art of the Northern Dynasties period. It also reflects the extent of the cultural exchange between the different kingdoms.
Several of Cao’s paintings were listed in Famous Paintings in History, including the murals of Kaiye Temple in Xijing (present Luoyang, Henan) and Xingshan Temple in Shaanxi, and the image of famous poet Lu Sidao.