Xiong was born in Zhejiang Province, China, and
currently resides in Beijing. In China, Xiong is renowned for his poetry-prose, as well as his paintings. Xiong's study
of Chinese painting dates back to his childhood. The images in Xiong's books, formed primarily from line and ink
gradation,produce a powerfully emotive effect. Drawing from traditional Chinese art, Xiong's works retain a
distinctive quality.
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Book Review
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Xiong's first appearance in English is a quiet elegy to
village life in China, narrated by one of many statues of mythical guardian lions that dot the Chinese countryside.
The spare and whimsical illustrations, which appear to be in charcoal and watercolor wash on textured paper, show the statue and the appealingly lumpy figures of the
villagers under a full moon, blown by autumn winds and surrounded by Snowflakes. Meditative readers, may find themselves unexpectedly moved by Xiong's work.
----------Publishers Weekly
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In this handsome Chinese picture book illustrated in muted tones, a stone lion sits, watches, and reflects. Teachers and
parents looking for simple stories set in China will find this offers a unique view of a Chinese village as seen through
the eyes of a stone lion of great dignity and quiet charm. Expressive ink drawings warmed by soft colors illustrate
the short, effective text. Xiong creates a remarkably varied
series of pictures. (Carolyn Phelan)
