Artists › Painters and Calligraphers
Xiao Ziyun
Liang imperial kinsman, courtesy name Jingqiao, a master of cursive, running, seal and flying-white scripts, who compiled a 110-scroll history of Jin and served as Rector of the Imperial Academy.
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 Courtesy name Jingqiao
Xiao Ziyun, courtesy name Jingqiao, came from Nan Lanling and was a grandson of Emperor Gao of Qi; he was a Liang calligrapher, historian and writer. He served as secretary, palace attendant, literary aide to the Prince of Jin'an, Left Aide of the Secretariat, palace attendant, Rector of the Imperial Academy, prefect of Dongyang and Director of the Imperial Clan. Gifted young in cursive, running and small seal script, he was especially admired for flying-white brushwork; his regular script first followed Wang Xianzhi and later Zhong Yao. He compiled a 110-scroll History of Jin and the Dongguan Xinji, plus a nineteen-scroll collection, all lost; the Jade Terrace anthology preserves his Spring Longing. He died in 549.
Life and times
Dates 487 CE–549 CE