Gao Qipei (高其佩, 1660–1734), a pioneering painter of the early Qing dynasty, is celebrated as the foremost master of Chinese finger painting (指畫). Born into a Manchu family serving the imperial government, Gao pursued painting alongside his official duties, transforming a previously minor practice into a fully developed artistic language. Using fingers, fingernails, and the palm in place of the brush, he created bold textures, flowing washes, and expressive structural lines. The technique became closely associated with the Gao family, whose members continued to practice and transmit it, and was later codified in the Zhitou huashuo (《指頭畫說》), Treatise on Finger Painting), compiled in 1771 by his grandson Gao Bing (高秉). This work preserved the theory and techniques of finger painting, ensuring the family’s artistic legacy.

Gao’s finger painting exemplifies the integration of bodily gesture, improvisation, and calligraphic sensibility, offering a dynamic alternative to brush-based practice. Its immediacy and spontaneity align with Zen (禪) principles, emphasizing direct perception and the inseparability of body, mind, and mark-making. Each sweeping gesture records both the artist’s mental and physical state, transforming painting into a meditative, kinesthetic practice. From a global perspective, his method resonates with modern explorations of gesture and physicality, such as Abstract Expressionism, where process, rhythm, and the body itself become central to artistic meaning. Through his innovative approach, Gao Qipei elevated finger painting from novelty to a respected form of literati expression, expanding the expressive possibilities of ink and securing its enduring place in the history of Chinese art.