Li Tang was a famous painter in the Song Dynasty, who pioneered the painting style in the Southern Song Dynasty and was also a painter with strong patriotic feelings.
We don't know exactly what year he was born, it's probably 1066. He has read a lot of poetry books since he was a child, and he loves painting. At the age of 37, he was a famous painter. On one occasion, Bi's descendants got a famous painting of the Tang Dynasty, Xing Hepu Fang Fa Tu, which was in Baining for two years (1 103). If they wanted to copy this painting into another book, they asked Li Tang, who was only 37 at that time, to copy it.
During the reign of Song Huizong Zhenghe (11-1118), Li Tang was about 48 years old, and went to Kaifeng to take the imperial examination at that time. At that time, the examination question was "Selling Restaurant by Bamboo Lock Bridge", and the people who took the exam. Song Huizong personally reviewed the examination paper. From then on, Li Tang studied and created in the Royal Academy of Painting and became a professional painter. Li Tang went to Zhao Gou, the ninth son of Song Huizong, during his college years. Zhao Gou later became emperor and lived in Kangdi. Zhao Gou likes painting, especially calligraphy. Li Tang painted in Kandy and directed Zhao Gou.
When Li Tang flourished on the road of art, the Northern Song Dynasty was devastated. In A.D. 1 127 (the second year of Jingkang), the Jin people captured Tokyo, taking away Huidi and Qin Emperor, and all court painters and other skilled workers. Even some artists who have been scattered among the people have been tried to find them back and then brought to the north. Li Tang was in the Painting Academy at that time, and was taken to the north with thousands of people of all colors in the Song Dynasty.
(1 127) Zhao Gou, the only ninth son of Hui Zong who was not abducted, ascended the throne for Song Gaozong in Nanjing (Shangqiu, Henan). So 8 jin j immediately turned the attack direction to Zhao Gou, and Zhao Gou began to flee for several years. The Zhao dynasty, which has long since perished, continues. At this time, many people heard about Zhao Gou's south crossing and fled back from Jin Ying. Li Tang also risked his life to escape from the north and traveled long distances in Nandu to find Song Gaozong.
Li Tangnan crossed the Taihang Mountain, which was the base of the anti-gold troops spontaneously organized by Liang Xing and others. Li Tang was questioned by anti-Kim forces here. One of them came from Jiankang (now Nanjing) to join the anti-gold team. His name is Xiao Zhao. He is also familiar with books and good at painting. He found that Li Tang's luggage was full of "painting brushes" and so on, so he knew that this man was the famous painter Li Tang. So, Xiao Zhao bid farewell to the anti-gold team, followed Li Tangnan and studied painting with Li Tang.
About the early years of Shaoxing (65438+early 1930s), Li Tang and Xiao Zhao arrived in Lin 'an. At this point, Zhao Gou just arrived in Lin 'an, to stabilize. The imperial court was interested in military affairs, and its finances were particularly tight, so it was impossible to restore the painting academy for the time being. Li Tang had to sell paintings in the street for a living. At that time, Li Tang's paintings didn't sell well, so his life became poorer and poorer. In the 16th year of Shaoxing (1 146), the Southern Song Dynasty court became rich, so it resumed the painting and calligraphy institute and began to recruit painters. So Li Tang returned to the Painting Academy, where he waited for a letter. At this time, Li was already an old painter of about eighty years old.