Dai Jin 戴進

Dai Jin (1388–1462) was a Chinese painter and a prominent figure in the early Ming dynasty. He is recognized as the founder of the Zhe School, which played a significant role in the development of Chinese landscape painting. Dai Jin was born in Qiantang, now part of modern-day Hangzhou, and his work was heavily influenced by the Southern Song painting tradition. Despite his initial success at the imperial court, he eventually fell out of favor and returned to his native region, where he continued to paint and teach. His landscapes are noted for their dynamic compositions and expressive brushwork, which left a lasting impact on subsequent generations of Chinese artists. Dai Jin's contributions helped to bridge the stylistic transition from the Song to the Ming dynasty, solidifying his place in the history of Chinese art.