Zhang Zeduan (張擇端, 1085-1145), courtesy name Zhengdao (正道), was a famous Chinese painter of the Song Dynasty, and was instrumental in the early history of the Chinese landscape art.
Zhang Zeduan’s most famous painting is Along the River During the Qingming Festival (清明上河圖), a long handscroll which captures the daily life of people from the Song period at the capital, Bianjing (汴京), today’s Kaifeng (開封) in Henan (河南). The painting reveals the lifestyle of all levels of society from rich to poor as well as different economic activities in rural areas and the city. It offers glimpses of period clothing and architecture. This has been one of the most famous paintings throughout Chinese history. Artists of subsequent dynasties have made many re-interpretive replicas.
