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Chan Sheng-Yao

Chan Sheng-Yao (Chinese: 詹聖堯; pinyin: Chan Shèngyáo; English:  Stephen Chan), also known as Master Shen-Long and Master Sheng-Yao, is a contemporary Chinese Chan/Zen Buddhist master and multidisciplinary artist.His sobriquet or assumed name is ‘Xiao Yao’ (逍遙), and his courtesy names are ‘Tai Yi’ (太一), ‘Shen Long’ (神龍), ‘Tai Xuan’ (太玄), ‘Tai Chu’ (太初), so on and so forth.

Early Life
Chan was born in 1958 in Taipei, Taiwan. He is a descendent of the Chan (Zhan) 詹 family of Jingmen (荊門) prefecture in Hubei (湖北) Province, China.

While in high school, Chan met Pu Xiaohua (溥孝華)(Aisin Gioro Pu Yuli; 愛新覺羅•溥毓岦), who was a member of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, the ruling house of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), and became a disciple of Han Yu Tang (寒玉堂). The “Han Yu Tang” was the studio name and residential house name of Pu Ru (Aisin Gioro Pu Ru; 愛新覺羅•溥儒), also known as Pu Xinyu (溥心畬), who was a cousin of Pu Yi (Aisin Gioro Pu Yi; 愛新覺羅•溥儀), the final ruler of the Qing dynasty and the last Emperor of China. Pu Ru was a talented and highly respected Chinese painter and calligrapher. Pu Xiaohua, who was Pu Ru’s eldest son, was also a painter and calligrapher, and successor to Prince Pu Ru’s title.

In 1986 Chan moved to the United States and from 1992 to 1994 he participated in the MFA program in the Art Department at the University of Kansas. In 1996 he moved to Vancouver, British Columbia.

Buddhist Lectures

Chan is a Chan/Zen Buddhist master. In 2013, he lectured on Buddhist philosophy at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and in 2014, he lectured on the topic of "Time, Space and Infinity" at Loyola University Museum of Art.

He has many conducted public talks on Buddhist scriptures including the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng (六祖壇經), the Heart Sutra (心經), the Sutra of Infinite Life (佛說大乘無量壽莊嚴清淨平等覺經), the Amitabha Sutra (佛說阿彌陀經), Essential Annotation on the Amitabha Sutra (彌陀經要解), the Chapter of Chanting Amitabha in Whole Completeness to Become Buddha by the Dashizhi Bodhisattva (Great Strength; Mahasthamanparapta) from the Suramgama Sutra (大勢至菩薩念佛圓通章), the Suramgama Sutra (楞嚴經) and the Vimalakirti Sutra (維摩詰經). His recent Buddhist publications include Wisdom of the Heart Sutra (2011), Amitabha (2013), Prajna, volumes I & II (2013), and Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (2014).

Art

Chan has exhibited his artwork in solo and group exhibitions throughout North America and Asia [see exhibitions]. As a multidisciplinary artist, he works in many styles and media including ink painting, watercolor, oil painting, sculpture, and photography. He is a contemporary master of Chinese painting, poetry and calligraphy. He combines ink and other media together with techniques such as spraying and dripping to create abstract and semi-abstract paintings. His paintings can be viewed and displayed from both sides. He attempts to express the energy of the universe and the eternal state of ultimate harmony between humans and nature as advocated in Buddhism, Daoism and Confucian philosophies. His personal artistic theory and philosophy of “enlightenment power,” is grounded within these classical philosophical concepts of creation and human existence. He coined the term “enlightenment power” to describe the pure inherent nature of all beings to create their universe. He elaborates on this theory in “A Manifesto on the Use of Enlightenment Power in Art Creation” (覺能藝創).

Selected Exhibitions


 * 2004 Solo Exhibition, “we Awake Now”, Aion Art Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
 * 2004 Solo Exhibition, “Bridge of Enlightenment: Chan Sheng-Yao – A Retrospective Exhibition in Spiritual Images.” Providence University Art Center, Taizhong, Taiwan (Feb 9 – Mar 4)
 * 2003 Solo Exhibition, “Abstraction in Ink.” Asian Center, University of British Columbia,Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Sept 23 – 30)
 * 2003 Solo Exhibition, “Macrocosm, Microcosm, Introspection.” Dr. Sun Yet-Sen Memorial Museum, Taipei, Taiwan, (Apr 8 - 13)
 * 2002 3rd International Ink Painting Biennial of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China, (Dec 18, 2002 – Jan 8, 2003)
 * 2002 Solo Exhibition, “Smashing and Recreating the Universe.” W Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Oct 1-21, 2002)
 * 1986 Group Exhibition, Asian-American Association Arts and Film Festival, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA (Nov)
 * 1986 Solo Exhibition, “Women and Landscape.” Pingyang Art Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

Selected Publications


 * Prajna, I and II (2013) Volume 1 ISBN 978-0-9812378-4-8, Volume 2 ISBN 978-0-9812378-5-5
 * Amitabha (2013) ISBN 9780981237862
 * The Spirit of the Dragon: The Art of Master Sheng-Yao (2012)  ISBN 9780981237831
 * Up Close with Master Sheng-Yao (2012) DVD
 * Wisdom of the Heart Sutra (2011) ISBN 9780981237824
 * The Art of Chan Sheng-Yao (2010) ISBN 9780981237800
 * Macrocosm, Microcosm, Introspection: Art of Chan Sheng-Yao (2003)  ISBN 9572866605
 * Smashing and Recreating the Universe: Chan Sheng-Yao’s Art Generated by Enlightenment (2001) ISBN 9577447104

References