Ye Huacheng, also known as Donggu, was a native of Haicheng County in Fujian Province, Qing Dynasty, and later moved to Jingshan in Xiamen. In 1853, he passed the imperial examination and became a juren. He was active during the reigns of the Daoguang and Xianfeng emperors, and was a close friend of Lu Shiyi. He was also a disciple of Guo Shangxian and Zhou Kai, and was deeply influenced by their mainstream calligraphy principles of promoting copybooks. Later, he was recommended by Zhou Kai to teach at the "Jigu Book House" established by Lin Benyuan in Banqiao. Along with Lu Shiyi and Xie Guanqiao, he was known as one of the "Three Masters of the Lin Family" among the calligraphers and painters of that time. Of the three masters, he spent the shortest time in Taiwan. Because of his calligraphy skills, he was also known as one of the "Two Masters of the East and West" along with Lu Shiyi (Xicun), and was part of a group of four calligraphers known as the "Four Masters of the East, West, South, and North" along with Chen Nanjin and Lin Guohua (Shubei).