Dashou

CHINA, Zhejiang, Haining; Qing dynasty

Dashou was a monk, seal engraver, and calligrapher who was born in Haichang (present day Haining, Zhejiang). Having renounced at a young age, he initially resided in Baima Temple in Zhejiang, and later in Jingci Temple of West Lake in Zhejiang, as well as Dayun Temple in Jiangsu. Dashou was a close friend of fellow Qing dynasty (1644–1911) artists, He Shaoji and Dai Xi. His works include Scripts of Poem in Xiaolutian Temple, Poems Recording Cloistered Life, and Chronological Catalog of Seal, Calligraphy, and Painting in Baosushi. He was honored with the title Monk of Seals by Ruan Yuan, a famed Qing dynasty scholar.
Open-minded in nature and diligent in his studies, Dashou also enjoyed collecting antiques, prints from steles, and ancient seals. He specialized in seal and clerical script calligraphy and mastered the art of seal engraving; his seal engraving work, Offering Incense, is now kept at the Shanghai Museum.