Emperor Huizong of Song: A better artist than ruler

Succeeding his brother as emperor, Huizong, or Zhao Ji, reigned from 1100 to 1126. Zhao was famous for his promotion of Taoism. He was also a skilled poet, painter, calligrapher, and musician. He sponsored numerous artists at his court and archived remarkable personal success in art.

He was a talented player of guqin, a stringed instrument. In order to search for art masters, Zhao established an imperial painting house, where the best painters around China shared their best works.

Of Zhao's paintings, the primary subjects are birds and flowers. In 2006, a painting of precious birds by Zhao was sold for more than 60 million yuan at auction.