Han Huang
Master of rural scenes and cattle
Han Huang(韩滉) (723–March 19, 787), courtesy name Taichong, was from Chang'an in Jingzhao (modern Xi'an, Shaanxi). He was a mid-Tang dynasty politician and painter, and the son of Han Xiu, the junior tutor to the Crown Prince. During Emperor Xuanzong's Tianbao period, Han Huang entered officialdom through family influence and served as the registrar in the same office. In the first year of Zhide (756), he took refuge in Shannan and served as a military commissioner there. In the second year of Qianyuan (759), he returned to court as a palace censor and was later promoted to Right Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. In the sixth year of Dali (771), he became Vice Minister of Revenue and oversaw finances along with Liu Yan. In the fourteenth year of Dali (779), he was appointed Minister of Ceremonies and later served as governor of Jinzhou. He eventually became the military governor of Zhenhai and the inspector of Zhejiang East and West. During the Jingyuan military rebellion, Han Huang trained troops and maintained stability in the southeast; he also transported grain and silk from Jiangnan to support the court, gaining the deep trust of Emperor Dezong. In the first year of Zhenyuan (785), he returned to court as a chancellor in title and also served as the commissioner for Jianghuai transportation. The following year, he was made Duke of Jin, and shortly after, he passed away at the age of 65. He was posthumously honored as Grand Tutor and given the posthumous title 'Loyal and Solemn.' Han Huang was skilled in calligraphy, especially cursive script influenced by Zhang Xu. In painting, he followed the style of Lu Tanwei from the Southern Song period, excelling in depicting people, rural scenes, and animals like cattle, sheep, and donkeys. His work 'Five Cows' was praised by Zhao Mengfu in the Yuan dynasty as 'spirited and unrestrained, a rare masterpiece.' He enjoyed studying the *I Ching* and *Spring and Autumn Annals*, and wrote works such as *General Rules of the Spring and Autumn Annals* and *Discussions on Astronomical Affairs*, which are now lost. Two of his poems are preserved in the *Complete Tang Poems*.