Ink on paper 21*28 cm

Cheng Yaotian (1725-1814), also known by his zi (courtesy name) Yichou, was a native of She County in Anhui province and a juren graduate (provincial graduate) of the Qianlong era (1736-1795). He was a skilled calligrapher and a prominent scholar of textual criticism. He is the author of Records of Comprehensive Arts (Tongyi Lu), in which he used illustrations to explain ancient artifacts. His works Brief Explication of Insects(Shichong Xiaoji) and Brief Explication of Plants(Shicao Xiaoji) are akin to research in zoology and botany.