This paper contains in-depth research on the life of emperor and artist Hui Tsung. The author of this paper discusses Hui-Tsung
as a sophisticated antiquarian, whose talent and vision became an increasingly important factor in Chinese art. What differentiated Emperor Hui-tsung's painting style and that of the Literati was the emperor's main focus on Taoistic idealistic realism. Numerous historians of art believe that the Northern Sung Dynasty period produced the greatest realistic landscapes in China's history. This extensive paper also covers in detail the different views and aspects on the history of art in China. Topics covered in this paper include: Introduction The Northern Dissident Literati Su Ch'e Confucianism and Taoism Emperor Hui-tsung Li T'ang Xia gui Conclusion Chinese footnotes Bibliography