Huiming

CHINA, Fujian, Longyan

Born in Changting county of Longyan, Huiming had a Dharma name of Yuanzhao and was a monk, poet, and calligrapher who was born to a poor family with the surname, Wen. Tonsured at the age of nine at Yongquan Temple in Fujian, he was fully ordained at the age of 19 at Guoqing Temple in Zhejiang. Huiming subsequently studied at various temples between Shanghai and Hangzhou, later serving as abbot of Lingyin Temple in Zhejiang. Highly admired and respected for his excellence in teaching the Dharma, his disciples later compiled accounts of his lectures into Records of Dharma Lectures by Master Huiming.
Skilled in painting and calligraphy, in addition to being well-versed in poetry, his poems most often described his thoughts and comprehensions of what he saw around him, revealing his compassionate world views. His calligraphy followed the elegant charm of Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi. Huiming’s calligraphic piece, Seven-Character Poem, in running script, is kept at Ho’s Calligraphy Foundation in Taipei, Taiwan.