The Venerable Hong Si
Hong Si [弘四], with the Dharma names Ruyu and Renhao, and the sobriquets Ansheng and Zouseng, was born in 1961 in Shanghai. In his early years, he studied under the renowned contemporary monk Venerable Shangmiao Xiaoling, delving into the theories of Yogācāra (Consciousness-Only) and esoteric Buddhism. He later became a monastic under Venerable Shangneng Xiashan. He subsequently pursued specialized studies in logic and epistemology under Professor Zheng Weihong of Fudan University. In 2017, he assumed the role of Chief Abbot at Longtan Chan Temple, Zhejiang China. Venerable Hongsi is the founding proponent of the teaching, "a smile is an act of kindness.”
His works have been collected by numerous international institutions and individuals, including UNESCO, the United Nations International Theatre Institute, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the William & Paterson Foundation for the Arts at the University of Pennsylvania, the Rong Foundation of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong International Ink Painting Society and the French Han Zhi European Art Centre.
Artistic vision
Art is the embodiment of his Buddhist mindfulness and universal compassion and wisdom. As such Venerable Hongsi has dedicated himself to researching the philosophical significance and logical composition of imagery in Chinese Buddhist painting. As an artist who promotes the Dharma through his paintings, his works serve as a manifestation of the Dharma-related dimensions of space, time, and tempo in spiritual practice—a philosophical and logical expression of the relationship between the universe, nature, and humanity.
