Zhang Yi (1936-2019) graduated from the Department of Art at National Taiwan Normal University in 1958. He then returned to Hong Kong to dedicate himself to artistic creation and education, serving as the Dean of the Department of Art at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was a trailblazer of the “Hong Kong Style” modern art and the sculpture mentor of renowned designer Freeman Lau.

In 1963, he co-founded the Zhongyuan Painting Association to promote the development of modern art in Hong Kong. In 1965, he was awarded a scholarship by the International College of New York to study in Europe and America, deepening his philosophy of integrating Chinese and Western artistic elements. His creations focused on the contemporary interpretation of traditional cultural context, drawing inspiration from oracle bone inscriptions and tortoise shell patterns, and combining Chinese and Western artistic techniques. His representative works include The General series of sculptures, the wooden relief screen Soul Twelve, and the original paper-folding prototype of Two Oxen for the “Twelve Zodiacs” project.

His achievements were widely recognized: he was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1979 and the Sculptor of the Year Award by the Hong Kong Artists Guild in 1988. His works are permanently collected by institutions such as the Hong Kong Museum of Art and the Pacific Gallery in San Francisco, USA, with some pieces permanently displayed in public spaces like Hong Kong’s Kowloon Park.