Reference

Tao Hongjing, a Chinese artist, attempted to change his name and identity due to a complex set of reasons. According to the search results, there seems to be confusion between historical figures and modern individuals with the same name. The historical Tao Hongjing (456–536) was a Chinese alchemist, astronomer, calligrapher, military general, musician, physician, and pharmacologist. However, the modern artist Tao Hongjing, who is actually French and was born as Alexander Ouairy in Nantes, France, adopted this name to explore his "oriental identity" as a source of inspiration. This act of changing his name and identity was likely an artistic statement or a way to challenge cultural and societal norms and expectations. It's important to distinguish between the historical figure and the modern artist when discussing reasons for a name change. The modern artist's choice to change his name seems to be more about artistic expression and identity exploration rather than historical or religious reasons.