Hongyan

CHINA, Zhejiang, Shaoxing; Southern Liang to Chen dynasty (502–589)

Hongyan was a monk and calligrapher. When he was young, it was noted that he loved to read, and as a result, his literacy strength and comprehension capabilities were far superior to that of his peers. As a student of Master Zuo at Longguang Temple, Hongyan was recognized and respected for his insightful Dharma lectures on the Satyasiddhi Sastra.
Emperor Jianwen (549-551) of the Liang dynasty, aware of Hongyan’s abilities, attempted to persuade him to disrobe with offers of a scholar title and official post. Hongyan turned down the offer and took residence at Xuanwu Temple in Jiangsu, continuing to give lectures, in addition to writing an interpretation of the Satyasiddhi Sastra, as well as 30 other texts.
Hongyan was also an artist, poet, and calligrapher with an elegant seal and cursive script style. Admirers of Hongyan bestowed him the title of Four Wonders because of his accomplishments in the four areas of academia, art, poetry, and calligraphy.