Tang Wenxuan (1925-2009) was born in Xiaogan, Hubei Province. He graduated from Wuchang Art College in 1949 and studied at the Central Academy of Fine Arts thereafter. He taught at the Fine Arts Departments of Central China Normal University and Hubei Academy of Fine Arts since 1952. He was victim of the anti-rightist campaign of 1957-1958 and was sent to the countryside. He suffered a serious work injury and was denied medical treatment, leaving him partially disabled. During the Cultural Revolution Tang was heavily criticized again and called an "anti-revolutionary poisonous grass". He managed to survive and started painting again after 1976.

Tang excelled at flower-and-bird painting and was also known for his calligraphy. He was Vice Chairman of the Hubei Branch of the China Artists Association, resident of the Hubei Provincial Flower-and-Bird Painting Research Association, and a member of the 5th Hubei Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.