Zhang Sengyou

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Zhang Sengyou (Chinese: 张僧繇, Zhāng Sēngyóu) was a famous Chinese painter the ink style in Liang Dynasty Wudi's years.

His birth and death years are unknown, but he was active circa 490–540. He was a native Wuzhong (now Suzhou, Jiangsu Province).

Life

Legend has it that Zhang was asked to paint a mural in a temple. He painted four dragons but left out the pupils from their eyes. The Abbot asked him why. Zhang explained that if he painted the pupils, the dragons would come alive. When the Abbot insisted, Zhang proceeded to paint two of the dragons’ eyes. As soon as he finished painting the pupils on two of the dragons, they roared to life and flew away in a thunderous flash of lightning. The two dragons that had no pupils stayed on the wall.[1]

Notes

  1. ↑ Reproduced with permission from an original article by Tim Wong & Akiko Hirano, written for the American debut of Chinese ink wash painting artist Wang Nong. Copyright © Touching Stone Gallery, Santa Fe.

External links

  • "Bring the Painted Dragons to Life by Putting Pupils in Their Eyes"
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