Chao Keng-Shih

CHINA, Fujian, Fuzhou

Chao Keng-Shih, whose original name was Chao Kuang-Ming, was a seal engraver from Linsen, Fujian. He lived and studied in Beijing as a young man and learned calligraphy and painting from Lin Qinnan and Dong Zuobin. In 1950, Chao was dispatched to serve as a major general counsel in Fuzhou. There, he was able to procure the famed Shoushan stone that he often used to carve his seals.
He later left his military post and moved to Taiwan. In 1975, the Taiwan Seal Association was established and Chao became one of the most prominent members in the association. His seal carvings are considered to be stable, sparse, and clear. His artworks include Buddha in the Mind, Mind is the Buddha, and Amitabha Buddha, as well as the written work, Collection of Seal Characters.