Yang Huizhi

CHINA, Jiangsu, Suzhou; Tang dynasty

Yang Huizhi was a sculptor from Wujun (present day Suzhou, Jiangsu). Alongside Wu Daozi, he studied the painting style of Zhang Sengyou, a renowned Liang dynasty (502–587) painter. Realizing that he was not as skilled as Wu in painting, he later switched to sculpting. Together, Wu’s painting and Yang’s sculptures were regarded as the essence of Zhang’s craftsmanship. Yang became reputed as the Sage of Sculpture.
Realistic and vivid, Yang’s statue of the artist Liu Beiting was well-known for being so recognizable even though it was placed facing the city wall and only the view of his back was visible. His sculptures were located in several temples across China and include statues of the Buddha and Vimalakirti in Xiangguo Temple in Henan; the Arhats and Landscape of Lengqieshan in Guang’ai Temple in Henan; sculptures of Reclining Buddha in Qianfu Temple in Shaanxi; and Vimalakirti statue in Tianzhu Temple in Shaanxi. From the sculptures of the Five Hundred Arhats and Landscape of Lengqieshan on the wall in Guang’ai Temple, it is said the he was the sculptor who initiated the craft of relief wall carving. The Arhats at Baosheng Temple are attributed to him, even though the sculpting style suggest that they were from the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127).
As recorded in Famous Paintings in History and Addendum to Famous Paintings of the Five Dynasties, many of Yang’s works were destroyed in the Buddhist persecution and peasant revolts during the Tang dynasty (618–907), where many temples were severely damaged.