Li Shutong (Hong Yi)

Li Shutong (1880–1942), whose given name was Wentao and whose courtesy name was Xishuang, took the Dharma name Yanyin and the title Hong Yi after becoming a monk. He came from Pinghu, Zhejiang, and was born in Tianjin. A modern Chinese musician, art educator, calligrapher and dramatist, he was one of the pioneers who introduced Western painting, music and spoken drama to China. In 1918 he became a monk at Hupao Temple in Hangzhou and was honored as the eleventh patriarch of the Nanshan Vinaya school. His surviving works span art, philosophy, social culture, classical poetry and biography. The library holds 25 of his titles, including the "Paintings for the Protection of Life" series, "Selected Works of Li Shutong" (three volumes), "Joy and Sorrow Intermingled" (the Aesthetic Walk series), "A Chronology of Master Ouyi" and "A Pot of Cloudy Wine, All the Remaining Joy: Li Shutong's Poems and Songs", offering a fairly full picture of his literary and artistic creation and his Buddhist writings.