Sun Shangzi

CHINA, Jiangsu, Suzhou; Northern Zhou to Sui dynasty

Sun Shangzi was an artist and assistant to the county governor. He studied painting under such masters as Gu Kaizhi and Lu Tanwei, and his specialty was in character depiction, in particular drawing gods and spirits, for which he has attained the highest level of skills.
Famous Paintings in History documents a collection of murals painted by Sun, namely ones at Jingyu Temple in Shaanxi, Zongchi Temple, as well as the painting Vimalakirti at Dingshui Temple. According to a commentary quoted in the book, it was said that his brushwork is powerful and forceful, imparting a lively and energetic appearance which has not been successfully mimicked by others in their copies.