Cao Xiaoyang is a Chinese artist born in 1968. He received both his BFA (1994) and MFA (2002) from the Printmaking Department of the China Academy of Art (CAA) in Hangzhou and is currently the Vice President of CAA.

Cao Xiaoyang is well renowned for his innovative, unique signature technique of creating intricate, atmospheric landscape paintings by using charcoal as his medium rather than the traditional ink and brush. He endeavors both to transcend the boundaries of traditional ink painting language and to evoke the deep spiritual connection to nature treasured by Chinese landscape artists over a millennium. Cao's art reminds us that shanshui painting is more than just a cultural signifier or an iconic form; rather, it is a method of investigation and experimentation for maintaining awareness of and concern for this world, and for understanding the endless experiment of existence.

When looking up into his works, we can find out that the ancient cosmological system of the 'Twenty-four Solar Terms' acts as a core theme from which his artwork unfolds, expressing his thoughts and observations about the inter-relatedness of life in the human and natural worlds. The concept of the Twenty-four Solar Terms is based on the sun's position in the zodiac and reflects the changes in climate, natural phenomena, agricultural production, and other aspects of human life. In this sense, Cao is plotting the coordinates linking man, heaven, and nature.

Editor: Ye Ke