As a great litterateur, calligrapher and painter of the Northern Song Dynasty of China, Su Shi is commonly called Su Dongpo by latter people due to his pseudonym Dongpo Jushi (Resident of Dongpo).

Though of great learning and talent, he did not have a very smooth official career. He lived as official in Beijing for a short time, and, then, was appointed to be a local official of other regions like Hangzhou, Huangzhou and Huzhou. Political frustrations he encountered spurred his passion for literary creation. As a literary chief of the Northern Song Dynasty following Ouyang Xiu, he performed a profound effect on the development of Chinese literature at that time and latterly.
Su Shi emphasized originality, expressive force and artistic value of the literature. His essays are unstrained and passionate. He, together with the other great litterateur, Ouyang Xiu, was titled “Shu’ou”. His poems, with bold, generous, and romantic characteristics, covered a wide range. Today, there are more than 4000 of his poems preserved. The bold and unstrained style, which was developed by him and which was as famous as the graceful and restrained style, extended the theme which formerly focused almost on the sentimental feelings. For example, Meditation on the Past at the Red Cliff is one of his famous works existing in the world.

Su Shi was also versed at calligraphy. His style of calligraphy was changeful, artless and immense. He, together with Huang Tingjian, Mi Fu and Cai Xiang, was titled “Four calligraphers of the Song Dynasty”. In terms of Painting, Su Shi was good at ink bamboos, ancient trees and wonderful stones. His paintings were in a concise, strong style of drawing. And, usually, some wonderful ideas would come in your mind when you are appreciating his works. In addition, Su Shi’s theory on painting was also profoundly influential to later generations. The idea of “Paintings by scholars” developed by him established an academic base for the latter development of “Literati Painting”.