Gong Xian, also known by his courtesy name Banqian and literary names Yeyi and Chaizhangren, was born in Kunshan and later moved to Jinling. He specialized in landscape painting and learned from Dong Yuan and Wu Zhen. He focused on sketches, using multiple layers of ink for colouring to achieve a rich, smooth, and robust effect in his works. His style was unique and unconventional. Gong was renowned as one of the “Eight Painters of Jinling” along with Fan Qi, Gao Cen, and Zou Zhe, etc.