Artists › Painters and Calligraphers
Kangli Naonao
Yuan calligrapher of Qangli descent who rose to Hanlin recipient of edicts and was paired with Zhao Mengfu as the master of the north
A desk holds an unrolled sheet bearing three bold black ink strokes, with a rack of many brushes above it, a stone ink slab and ink stick, a porcelain bowl, a red lacquer box, a dish of red seal paste and a paperweight; a small seated figure shows through a round window onto bamboo.
Also known as Zi Zishan · Hao Zhengzhai · Hao Shusou
Kangli Naonao, courtesy name Zishan, art names Zhengzhai and Shusou, was of Qangli descent from the western steppe and a son of Buhumu. He served as assistant director of the Palace Library, investigating censor and minister of rites, was an academician of the Kuizhang Pavilion under Wenzong and a classics lecturer to the last Yuan emperor, and rose to recipient of edicts in the Hanlin Academy; in 1344 he became manager of affairs of the Jiangzhe branch secretariat and died the next year, receiving the name Wenzhong. A master of running and cursive script after Zhong You and Wang Xizhi, with something of Huaisu, he was paired with Zhao Mengfu as the master of the north. The Palace Museum holds his cursive copy of Liu Zongyuan's Tale of the Banished Dragon.
Life and times
Dates 1295 CE–1345 CE