Tomb of Shi Tao

Tomb of Shi Tao

The Tomb of Shi Tao is a cultural tourism attraction.

Tomb of Shi Tao

Shi Tao was a descendant of the imperial family, the tenth-generation grandson of Zhu Zanyi, the Prince of Jingjiang of the Ming Dynasty. After the fall of the Ming Dynasty, his father, Zhu Hengjia, declared himself the regent of the Ming and was executed in Fuzhou by Zhu Yujian, the Prince of Tang. At that time, Shi Tao was very young and was taken away by an eunuch to become a Buddhist monk. His dharma name was Yuansi, his courtesy name was Shi Tao, and he also used other aliases such as Dàdící, Qīngxiāng Lǎorén, Kǔguā Héshàng, and Xiāzūnzhě.

Shi Tao was one of the four great monk-painters of the early Qing Dynasty. He authored the “Shi Tao’s Painting Discourses,” which gained widespread fame. At the time, the art world was dominated by the “Northern and Southern Schools” theory advocated by Dong Qichang and others, and the trend of copying ancient styles was growing stronger. The exceptionally talented Shi Tao was not bound by these conventions. He created his own techniques and styles, establishing a unique approach to painting theory and artistic practice. He is hailed as “the greatest painter of the 300 years since the Qing Dynasty.”

In his later years, Shi Tao settled in Yangzhou, where he lived until the end of his life. This period marked the pinnacle of his painting artistry, with representative works such as “Autumn Clearing along the Huai and Yangtze Rivers,” “Famous Mountains of Yuhang Scroll,” “Zhuoran Studio Painting,” and “Eight Scenic Views of Xinan Album.” Each piece is exquisitely crafted, representing the height of Shi Tao’s artistry. Shi Tao initiated a distinctive painting style in Yangzhou, and the subsequent “Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou” school of painting was profoundly influenced by him, both in theory and practice. He also left behind stone-stacking artworks in Yangzhou’s ancient city, such as the Pianshi Mountain House in Heyuan Garden.

Historical records state that Shi Tao passed away at the Dàdícǎo Thatched Cottage in Yangzhou and was buried behind the Pingshan Hall. The Qing Dynasty poet Min Hua from Jiangdu visited Shi Tao’s tomb and wrote a poem titled “Inscription on the Tomb Gate Painting” with annotations. The original tomb fell into disrepair over time and was lost. In 2012, Abbot Néngxiū of the Daming Temple re-established the Tomb Pagoda of Shi Tao behind the Pingshan Hall and cast a bronze statue of Shi Tao, which vividly captures his “otherworldly and independent” character. In 2014, the Tomb Pagoda and the bronze statue of Shi Tao were relocated and reconstructed to the west side of the Nanmu Hall in the West Garden.

In 2014, the Shi Tao Calligraphy and Painting Academy was officially established within the Daming Temple, with the renowned Chinese painter, art connoisseur, and cultural scholar Xiao Ping serving as its director.