Li Fangying (Qiu Zhong): A Master of Plum Blossom and Serene Landscapes Li Fangying, also known as Qiu Zhong, was a pivotal figure in 18th-century Chinese art, born in the Tongzhou district of China in 1695 and passing away in 1755. His legacy rests primarily on his exquisite paintings, particularly his celebrated depictions of blossoming plum blossoms alongside serene landscapes imbued with profound symbolism. He wasn’t merely a painter; he was a meticulous observer of nature and a skilled practitioner of the *shanshui* (mountain-water) style, a dominant form of Chinese landscape painting…