Qiu Ying

Qiu Ying was a who specialized in the ''gongbi'' brush technique.

He was born to a peasant family, and studied painting at the Wu School in Suzhou. Though the Wu School encouraged painting in ink washes, Qiu Ying also painted in the green-and-blue style. He painted with the support of wealthy patrons, creating images of flowers, gardens, religious subjects, and landscapes in the fashions of the Ming Dynasty. He incorporated different techniques into his paintings, and acquired a few wealthy patrons. His talent and versatility allowed him to become regarded as one of the Four Great Masters of the Ming Dynasty.

Three of his best patrons were art collectors. One was Chen Guan from Suzhou. The other two were both younger than Qiu: Zhou Fenglai , from nearby Kunshan, and the well-known wealthy collector Xiang Yuanbian, whose home was in Jiaxing in Zhejiang Province.