Zè Wěi

Zei Wei, a descendant of the imperial family of the Ming Dynasty, specifically Prince Henggong Zhu Youyang (the sixth brother of Emperor Chongzhen) of the Qingzhou Heng Prince's Mansion in Shandong. Born in Zibo, Shandong, he is a member of the China Democratic League, a renowned Chinese painter, a National First-Class Artist, a researcher at the China Academy of Painting under the Ministry of Culture, formerly a researcher and academician at the China Academy of Calligraphy and Painting under the Art Development Center of the Ministry of Culture, a market specialist for the Committee for Authentication of Chinese Folk Artworks under the Art Development Center of the Ministry of Culture, a specially designated state (guest) gift artist by the China Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Center under the State Council, a member of the China Arts and Crafts Association, a committee member of the Organizing Committee of the 2015 Hong Kong First Asian Biennale, a senior art committee member of the New York Cultural Exchange Institute in the United States, an academician of the Asian Academy of Fine Arts, and currently teaches at the Ceramic Art and Design College of Foshan University in Guangdong. Selected for the 2008 China Art Charity List (honored by the Ministry of Culture), selected for the "Contemporary Chinese Cultural Masters Thematic Stamp Project" jointly launched by the Chinese Culture Promotion Society under the Ministry of Culture and China Post. In 2006, his heavy-color painting won the Jade Seal Achievement Grand Prize from the China Culture Management Association under the Ministry of Culture, and was selected as one of the "Outstanding Chinese-American Stamp Artists of 2016" by the U.S. Postal Stamp Group. In 2016, he was included alongside China’s top-tier contemporary national artists such as Cui Ru-zhuo, Zhan Jian-jun, Song Hui-min, Qiao Shi-guang, Feng Yuan, He Jia-ying, Zhang Zhi-min, Yang Fei-yun, Ai Xuan, and Lu Yu-shun in the "China Timeless Masters and Masterpieces Thematic Stamp Project" by China Post Group. In 2017, he was included alongside renowned Chinese painters such as Jin Shang-yi (author of "The Mother of the Nation Sits on the Throne," former president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and former chairman of the China Artists Association) and Liu Wen-xi (former vice chairman of the China Artists Association) in the large-scale "China Timeless Masters and Masterpieces Thematic Stamp Project" by China Post Group. In 2004, he was invited to participate in the “Commemorative Exhibition for the 100th Anniversary of Deng Xiaoping’s Birth” hosted by the Guangdong Provincial Committee and Provincial Government; his heavy-color painting "The Story of Spring" won the government gold award and he served as a judge. In 2005, his works passed authoritative evaluation and certification by the Art Market Development Center under the Cultural Market Department of the Ministry of Culture and were included in the China Art Industry Registration and Certification Database. In 2005, together with Gao Zhan-xiang (former Minister of Culture), Yu Ji-gao (master of meticulous brushwork), Jia Hao-yi (famous painter), Dai Ai-lian (famous dancer), etc., he was selected for the "Contemporary Chinese Cultural Masters Thematic Stamp Project" jointly launched by the Chinese Culture Promotion Society under the Ministry of Culture and China Post, with 16 of his heavy-color paintings selected. In December 2006, his heavy-color painting won the Jade Seal Achievement Grand Prize from the China Culture Management Association under the Ministry of Culture. In January 2007, together with Guo Shao-gang, president of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, he was selected for Guangdong TV’s Hong Kong and Macao Channel program "Dim Sum Celebrity List," and a 24-minute special documentary about him was broadcast in Hong Kong and Macao. In 2008, he actively responded to the joint initiative by the Cultural Market Department of the Ministry of Culture and the China Social Work Association under the Ministry of Civil Affairs to hold the "For the Children" charity donation and auction of Chinese artworks, donating heavy-color paintings for charity auction, which were auctioned and sold by Beijing Kuangshi International Auction Company. He was commended by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Personnel, and alongside Zhao Zhong-xiang, Mei Mo-sheng, etc., was included in the "2008 China Art Charity List," becoming a currently popular artist in Chinese art.