Born in Jiangsu to a military family, Zhao Er-Dai was also known as Zhao Tong-He. He spent a lifetime dedicated to multivarious aspects of art including calligraphy, ink and oil paintings, watercolour art, prints, seal carving, sculptures, pottery, photography and literature. Among his rich variety of art, he was most acclaimed for his ink and pottery art. His art was serene and simple, with heavy influence of Zen beliefs. The rise in popularity encouraged international exposure with exhibitions in the US, Europe and Japan. In his late years, he resided in Penghu and opened the "Erdai Art Gallery", also known as "Yi Slave House". His publications include "Dream Mark", "Two Dumb Ink Paintings", "Daily Painting Dumb Talks", "Eleven Two Dumbs", and "Life Sketches".