KUAN-HSIU

born 832, Chin-hua, Chekiang Province, China died 912 Pinyin Guanxiu T'ang dynasty Ch'an (in Japanese, Zen) painter known for his paintings of lohans (Buddhist holy men who have attained spiritual perfection). The best known of the lohan paintings that are attributed to him are a series of 16 in the Tokyo National Museum. Kuan-hsiu eventually settled in the Shu capital of Ch'eng-tu. His family name of Chiang was changed to Kuan-hsiu when he entered a Ch'an monastery as a youth. He was renowned not only as a painter but also as a poet and Buddhist savant.