Emperor Huizong of Song

CHINA, Henan, Kaifeng; Northern Song dynasty

Emperor Huizong (reigned 960–1127) was the eighth emperor of the Song dynasty. His original name was Zhao Ji, and he was the 11th son of Emperor Shenzong (reigned 1067–1085). Famed for his achievements in art and literature, he showed his creativity and intellect at a very young age.
As an acclaimed poet, painter, and calligrapher, Emperor Huizong sponsored numerous artists in the court and established the Hanlin Academy, in which he assembled an entourage of painters that were first pre-screened in an examination to work as official artists of the court. In calligraphy, he developed the slender gold script, named for his impressive twists and turns that resemble sparkling gold.
Emperor Huizong was a collector of paintings, calligraphy, and antiques, amassing huge collections of each. The catalogs of these collections, which were called Xuanhe Catalog of Paintings, Xuanhe Catalog of Calligraphy, and Xuanhe Catalog of Cultural Relics, had a profound influence on Chinese art history. In addition, his Thousand Character Classic, which is now kept at the Shanghai Museum, is an excellent example of his calligraphy work in regular script.