Master Hongyi (1880- 1942), whose common name is Li Shutong, was born in Pinghu, Zhejiang. He is not only a talented art educator, but also a generation of eminent monks. This master of "Twenty Shocking Seas" who combines poetry, ci, calligraphy and painting, seal cutting, music, drama and literature has created splendid Chinese culture and art in many fields. He pushed China's ancient calligraphy art to the extreme, saying that it was "simple and perfect, just like nature itself", and modern cultural celebrities such as Lu Xun and Guo Moruo were all proud of winning the master's paintings. He was the first pioneer to spread western music to China. His farewell songs have been sung for decades and become classics. At the same time, he was also the first teacher in China to create nude sketches. Outstanding artistic attainments have cultivated some cultural celebrities, such as the famous painter Feng Zikai and musician Liu Zhiping. He painstakingly worshiped Buddha, did not eat after noon, intensively studied jurisprudence, promoted Buddhism, and helped all beings get out of their misery. He was regarded as the 11th ancestor of Legalism by Buddhist disciples. He left the world with inexhaustible spiritual wealth, and his life was full of legends. He is a typical figure of China's magnificence and simplicity.
It is said that he is very clever and knows eight languages. Another purpose of Japan's occupation of China was to bring him back to Japan. He became a monk because of his fame and fortune. I think he is the noblest man in China, but many people don't know him. Our teacher also said that no one can compare with him in what he wrote.