Huang Daozhou

CHINA, Fujian, Zhangzhou; Ming dynasty

Born in Dongshan county of Zhangzhou, Huang Daozhou was also known as Youxuan or Shizhai. He was a scholar, teacher, painter, and calligrapher who became an Imperial Scholar in 1622. He worked for many years in the imperial government and was reputed for his honorable and sagacious character. Additionally, Huang was well-known for his vast knowledge in the areas of astronomy and mathematics. His written works were collected into the Collected Works of Huang Daozhou.
As a talented calligrapher, Huang emulated the styles of the Cao Wei Kingdom (220–265) and Jin dynasty (265–420). He was skilled in seal, clerical, running, and regular scripts. His regular script in particular, is similar to that of Zhong Yao’s, expressing elegance and grace. Huang was also a talented painter of landscape and figures. His unique ink-wash style was considered fresh and simple.
Examples of Huang’s works include Poem About Self, which have been collected by the Shanghai Museum and the Shandong Museum; Poem on Celebrating Rainfall, written in cursive script is kept at the Palace Museum in Beijing; and Verses of a Pure Heart, which is kept at Fo Guang Shan Monastery in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.