Huang Tingjian (1045–1105) was a Chinese

Chinese people

The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....

 artist. He is predominantly known as a calligrapher

Calligraphy

Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...

, but was also admired for his painting and poetry. He was one of the Four masters of the 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...

, and was a student of Su Shi

Su Shi

Su Shi , was a writer, poet, artist, calligrapher, pharmacologist, gastronome, and statesman of the Song Dynasty, and one of the major poets of the Song era. His courtesy name was Zizhan and his pseudonym was Dongpo Jushi , and he is often referred to as Su Dongpo...

 at his school of literati painting.

Huang is generally regarded as the finest and most creative calligrapher of the Song Dynasty. His xingshu displays a sharpness and aggression which is instantly recognisable to the student of Chinese calligraphy.

External links

• Huang Tingjian's Calligraphy Gallery at China Online Museum