Zhu Yao

CHINA, Shaanxi, Xi’an; Later Liang dynasty

Zhu Yao was a painter, commonly referred to as the Magic Brush, from Chang’an (present day Xi’an, Shaanxi). He specialized in painting Buddhist and Daoist figures, and studied the painting style of Wu Daozi. According to Overview of Painting, the images of Manjusri and Samantabhadra Bodhisattvas at Guang’ai Temple in Henan were painted by him. He was also invited to paint murals at Changshou Temple and Jinzhenguan in Henan. Xuanhe Catalog of Paintings records a total of 83 of Zhu’s works, most of which are Buddhist images including Sakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, Medicine Buddha, Five Dhyani Buddhas, Manjusri and Samantabhadra Bodhisattvas, Vimalakirti, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Vajrapani Bodhisattva, Western Pure Land, and Heavenly Kings. Evaluation of Painters and Addendum to Famous Paintings of the Five Dynasties also record Zhu’s artworks.