Gāo Fènghàn was born in Shandong

Shandong

' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...

 to a minor bureaucrat. He was a painter, poet, and seal-carver. He later became associated with the Yangzhou

Yangzhou

Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...

 school of painters. These painters were known as eccentric

Eccentricity (behavior)

In popular usage, eccentricity refers to unusual or odd behavior on the part of an individual. This behavior would typically be perceived as unusual or unnecessary, without being demonstrably maladaptive...

s for their unorthodox style and preference for individualism. Gāo Fènghàn is not usually considered of the eight Yangzhou eccentrics, but is associational. Like his father, he served a minor post in the bureaucracy, but this did not occur until 1739. In 1736, this job led to his imprisonment. The following year, injuries during his time in prison combined with arthritis to disable his right hand. After that he painted with his left. These paintings have since gained some renown among Chinese art collectors.

Sources

• Chinese Paintings in the Ashmolean Museum Oxford(48) Oxford
  Oxford
  The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
  
  ISBN 1-85444-132-9
• Artnet Page on him