Zhao Bingwen (1159-1232), courtesy name Zhou Chen, also known as Xianxian Jushi, was a native of Fuyang, Jinci Prefecture (now Ci County, Hebei Province). In the twenty-fifth year of Emperor Shizong's reign (1185), he was promoted to Jinshi. In the first year of Emperor Xuanzong's reign (1217), he became the Minister of the Ministry of Rites and concurrently studied as a bachelor. He also studied national history and learned about the affairs of Jixian Academy. Aizong ascended the throne and was changed to a bachelor of Hanlin. Zhao Bingwen was studious by nature, skilled in poetry, calligraphy and painting, and was quite famous at that time. Liu Qi's "Gui Qian Zhi" of the Yuan Dynasty says: "Zhao Bingwen's poetry and calligraphy in his childhood were all written by Wang Tingyun. Later, he studied Taibai and Dongpo, and his calligraphy was combined with ancient and modern calligraphy. In his later years, his calligraphy made great progress. His poetry was based on the Tang Dynasty. Kui Ran was a leader of scholars for a while, and he called himself Xianxian Jushiyun."
