Born in Xiaoshan, Zhejiang Province, Ren Xiong lived in Shanghai selling paintings to earn a living. He first imitated the works of past calligraphy masters and later viewed numerous excellent calligraphy works and paintings by prestigious artists when visiting the residence of Yao Xie (1805-1864) in Ningbo. With this experience, he became increasingly proficient in painting. Excelling in both freehand and meticulous painting, he painted a wide range of subjects, particularly figures and Daoist stories. He imitated the paintings of Chen Hongshou (1598-1652), a well-known painter of the late Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Ren