Liang Kai
Encyclopedia
Liáng Kǎi (c. 1140 - c. 1210) was a Chinese artist, also known as Madman Liang. He was born in Shandong and worked in Lin An (later Hangzhou
). He is known to have studied with the master Jia Shigu.
He was awarded the rank of Painter-in-Attendance at the court of Jia Tai (1201-1204 CE, Southern Song Dynasty
) where he was known for mastery in painting figures, landscapes, and other minor subjects. He is most famous for originating or developing the "Xie Yi" (sometimes translated as "sketch style") of painting, where the objective is to evoke the subject or atmosphere with minimal use of detail; it requires a profound mastery of painting technique and perfect concentration, but also allows for the beauty of accidental effects.
He left his position at court to practise Chan
Buddhism. Xie Yi style is closely associated with the "sudden enlightenment", "mindfulness", and "spontaneity" aspects of this school of Buddhism.
One of his more famous pieces, Budai, shows the Budai
Luohan wandering through the country-side. The swift, smiling brush strokes embody the Chan philosophy of sudden enlightenment.
Works generally attributed to Liáng Kǎi: painting of the poet Li Bai
, the Drunken Celestial (aka A Sage); The Sixth Patriarch Cutting Bamboo; and in a more academic style, a series called the Eight Eminent Monks paintings.
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
). He is known to have studied with the master Jia Shigu.
He was awarded the rank of Painter-in-Attendance at the court of Jia Tai (1201-1204 CE, Southern Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
) where he was known for mastery in painting figures, landscapes, and other minor subjects. He is most famous for originating or developing the "Xie Yi" (sometimes translated as "sketch style") of painting, where the objective is to evoke the subject or atmosphere with minimal use of detail; it requires a profound mastery of painting technique and perfect concentration, but also allows for the beauty of accidental effects.
He left his position at court to practise Chan
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
Buddhism. Xie Yi style is closely associated with the "sudden enlightenment", "mindfulness", and "spontaneity" aspects of this school of Buddhism.
One of his more famous pieces, Budai, shows the Budai
Budăi
Budăi may refer to places in Romania:* Budăi, a village administered by Podu Iloaiei town, Iaşi County* Budăi, hill in the proximity of Călugăreni in Botoşani Countyand to several in Moldova:* Budăi, Taraclia, a commune in Taraclia district...
Luohan wandering through the country-side. The swift, smiling brush strokes embody the Chan philosophy of sudden enlightenment.
Works generally attributed to Liáng Kǎi: painting of the poet Li Bai
Li Bai
Li Bai , also known in the West by various other transliterations, especially Li Po, was a major Chinese poet of the Tang dynasty poetry period. He has been regarded as one of the greatest poets in China's Tang period, which is often called China's "golden age" of poetry. Around a thousand existing...
, the Drunken Celestial (aka A Sage); The Sixth Patriarch Cutting Bamboo; and in a more academic style, a series called the Eight Eminent Monks paintings.