Hong Yi And His Calligraphy

弘一和他的书法

Hong Yi (1880-1942), born Li Shutong, was a Chinese Buddhist monk, a calligrapher, master painter, musician, dramatist, seal cutter and poet. He also went by Wen Tao, Guang Hou, and Shu Tong, but was most commonly known by his Buddhist name, Hong Yi. He was born in Tianjin to a banking family originated in Hongdong County, Shanxi, that immigrated to Tianjin in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

In 1898 Li moved to Shanghai and joined the "Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Association", and the "Shanghai Scholarly Society" while he was attending the Nanyang public school.

In 1905 Li went to Japan to study at Tokyo School of Fine Art in Ueno Park where it specialized in Western painting and music.

In 1910 Li returned to China，and was appointed to Tianjin's Beiyang Advanced Industry School. The next year he was appointed as a music teacher in a girl's school in Shanghai.

       弘一（1880-1942），俗名李叔同，在中国既是一位高僧，又是集书画，音乐，戏剧，篆刻和诗歌于一身的大师。通常人们又称之为文涛，广侯和叔同，但最为人之所知的还是他的法名：叔同。他生于天津，家里开办钱庄，早在明朝时期从山西洪洞县移居至天津。
       1898年李叔同来到上海南洋公学就读，并加入“上海书画公会”和“上海公学会”。
       1905年李东渡日本留学，考入位于东京上野公园内的东京美术学校，该学校的特色专业是西方油画和音乐。
      1910年李返回中国。在天津的直隶模范工业学堂任图画教员。第二年他被指派去上海城东女学校任音乐教师。