Cheng Jiasui

• Cheng Jia Sui (1565-1643) was a Ming Dynasty calligrapher, painter, and poet. His courtesy name was Mengyang, and he had several pen names, including Songyuan, Jie'an, Songyuan Laoren, Songyuan Dao Ren, Jie'an Jushi, Jie'an Laoren, and Jie'an Dao Ren. In his later years, he converted to Buddhism and took the Buddhist name Hai Neng. He was from Xiuning County, Huizhou Prefecture in Southern Jiangsu (modern-day Xiuning, Anhui). Despite failing the imperial exams, he moved to Jiading, where he devoted himself to studying. He was skilled in poetry and painting, well-versed in music, and was part of the "Three Elders of Lianchuan," along with his fellow townsmen Lou Jian and Tang Shisheng.