Qiu Zhijie is known for his text- and calligraphy-based practice, which encompasses photography, performance, installation, painting, and video. His works explore the struggle of self-assertion, particularly with reference to Chinese history. Qiu, who has a background in printmaking, became infamous for his labor intensive project of copying a 4th-century Chinese calligraphic work over 4000 times in seven years on the same sheet of paper. Qiu frequently photographs or films his writing performances, and produces what he has termed “calli-photo-graphy.” Within this category, some of his most famous works include his “Tattoo” series (begun 1994), in which Qiu painted words and patterns onto his own body.