Ink on paper 172*27 cm

Xing Dong (1551-1612), also known by his zi(courtesy name) Ziyuan and his hao (literary names) Danmiansheng and Fangshan Daomin, was a native of Linyi (modern-day Linqing, Shandong province). In his later years, he styled himself Laiqin Jiyuan Shanzhu and was respectfully addressed by his contemporaries as Master Laiqin (Laiqin Fuzi). He rose to the rank of Chief Minister of the Shaanxi Branch Court of Imperial Stud, and was commonly known as “Xing Taipu.”A man of profound literary cultivation, Xing 's calligraphy is celebrated for its vigorous brushwork and harmonious presence. He is acclaimed as one of the “Four Great Calligraphers in the Late Ming Dynasty”alongside Dong Qichang, Zhang Ruitu, and Mi Wanzhong. His major works include the model calligraphy series Model Calligraphy from the Laiqin Studio(Laiqinguan Fatie) and the literary collection Collected Works from the Laiqin Studio(Laiqinguan Ji).