Good Fortune

Qi Baishi was born in Xiangtan, Hunan province. His orginal name was Chunzhi, courtesy name Weiqing. Then he changed his name into Huang, courtesy name Binsheng, Pinsheng. He also referred to himself by a number of literary names including Baishi, Baishiweng, Jipingtangshanglaoren, and Sanbaishiyinfuweng. He worked as a carpenter when he was young before he became a student of Hu Qinyuan and Chen Shaofan to learn poetry, prose, calligraphy, and painting. When he was fifty-seven, he settled down in Beijing. He then taught as a professor in the National Beiping Art College and served as the president of the Association of Chinese Artists. He was an excellent painter of flowers and birds, fishes and insects, landscapes, and human figures. He also excelled at calligraphy,seal-carving, poetry, and prose-writing.