Xia Jing Shan was under the tutelage of painter Guo Weiqu when he was 16 years old, and was later mentored by many other renowned artists, which helped him acquire different painting techniques and expanded his endeavors in art, with him working with a wide range subject matters, including flowers, people, ladies, and landscapes. He came into contact with Buddhism through his journey in art and has since been deeply drawn by the religion. A profound Chinese cultural foundation is embodied in Xia’s calligraphy and paintings, with significant contributions for elevating the position of Chinese art made by Xia. Due to his extensive dedication to Buddhist art,the compassion and wisdom expressed through his calligraphy and paintings have truly touched many. Xia has created many series of paintings, including landscapes, Bodhisattvas, Bodhidharma and Arhats, Zhong Kui, and Avalokiteśvara, and the focus of this paper is on his Zhong Kui series, examining the paintings’ contents and notable features, seeking to explore their creative implications and artistic characteristics, and the aesthetic values and the meliorism philosophy conveyed. Examining the paintings provided by the Xia Jing Shan Arts and Cultural Foundation, this paper focuses on analyzing and categorizing seven paintings on Zhong Kui that are showcased in the foundation’s e-gallery, with studies on Xia’s art of Zhong Kui conducted based on the following three directions: The connection between Zhong Kui’s cultural significance and Xia’s creative outlook; the notable features observed in the artworks from the series; and lastly, the meliorism philosophy expressed in this painting series.
