Qi Gong, a top Chinese calligrapher, painter, scholar and art connoisseur, died early yesterday in Beijing at the age of 93.

His death has been greeted with sadness by the public, especially among his fellow artists, calligraphers and art collectors.

"His passing is a great loss to China, and to the world of traditional art and calligraphy," 83-year-old Wu Shuqing, a leading art connoisseur, told China Daily.

At Beijing Normal University, where Qi Gong taught classical Chinese language and literature for more than 60 years, teachers and students mourned their professor's passing.

"I was talking about him with my roommates on Wednesday evening," said Du Zhibo, president of the Student's Chinese Language and Literature Society. "We were discussing how to celebrate his 93rd birthday."

Also known as Aisin Gioro Qi Gong, he was born into a Manchu family in Beijing in 1912. Aisin Giorro was an imperial clan name from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

He also used the pen name Yuan Bai.

He grew up in extreme poverty and had to drop out of middle school. But he pursued his love for art and knowledge and managed to become a private student of leading scholars and painters.

He developed his art connoisseur eye by visiting the Palace Museum frequently. To support his family and buy books, he sold his paintings and worked as a tutor.

In 1935, he started work as a teaching assistant at the Fujen University in Beijing, which later became Beijing Normal University.

He taught Chinese classics and literature, and the study of traditional Chinese antiques at Peking University. He tutored Master's and PhD students up until only a few years ago.

A renowned artist, Qi Gong served as vice-chairman and later chairman of the Chinese Calligraphers' Association. An outstanding connoisseur of Chinese calligraphy and painting, he also worked as director of the National Relics Evaluation Committee.

The master wrote books on calligraphic theory and practice, and the different styles of ancient Chinese character writing.

(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency July 1, 2005)