Zhang Ruoai (1713-1746), courtesy name Qinglan, was born in Tongcheng, Anhui. He came from a family of officials. His grandfather Zhang Ying and father Zhang Tingyu were both bachelors of the Yongzheng and Qianlong dynasties. In the 11th year of Yongzheng's reign (1733), he became a Jinshi, and his official positions were Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites, editor of Hanlin, and Secretary of General Affairs. His meticulous paintings of landscapes, flowers and birds were inspired by Wang Guxiang and Zhou Zhimian. He was proficient in connoisseurship and was insightful in appraising the royal collection. Together with his brother Zhang Ruocheng, he was an important poet and painter in the Qianlong Dynasty. In the eleventh year of Qianlong's reign, Zhang Ruoai was unfortunately infected with wind-cold during a retinue of the emperor's western tour, and died young at the age of 34.

Zhang Ruoai's "Twenty Chapters on Birds", small regular script, collected by the Palace Museum.