The Old Master of Taihua Studio: Li Wentian and 19th-century Canton (with new discoveries of Li Wentian's stay in Hong Kong)
Dr. Liang Ji Yong

On 19 November 2018, Dr. Liang Ji Yong was invited by the Institute of Chinese Studies to deliver an interesting lecture on "The Old Master of Taihua Studio: Li Wentian and 19th-century Canton (with new discoveries of Li Wentian's stay in Hong Kong)"
Dr. Liang is a literature scholar, writer, painter, and collector. Born in a rich and notable family, he received a good education, especially in classical literature and music, at an early age. He excels at playing the piano, guqin, and calligraphy, and is also interested in collecting classical literature, Ming and Qing fans, porcelain, and other precious cultural relics. His publications include Li Wentian and Qingdai jinhui shumu kaobu zhu. He has been invited as a visiting scholar to many academic institutions, such as the Institute of History and Literature of the Academia Sinica of Taiwan and the College De France.

During his speech, Dr. Liang introduced the life story of Li Wentian, who came from a poor family but, with his diligence and perseverance, established himself as a government official, a prominent scholar, and a calligrapher. By examining his association with some of the important officials in the late Qing dynasty, participants were able to form a historical picture of the events that happened in the nineteenth-century Canton. More interestingly, Li had a connection with The Chinese University of Hong Kong, as his ink rubbing of the Shunde version Huashan Stele is one of the treasures at the Art Museum of the university. Li's grandson, Professor Lee Yim, has also taught at the university for years.