永乐十三年(公元1415年)中进士，为翰林院庶吉士。文皇十分赏识他的楷书，被推荐供事内省，授中书舍人。永乐命书宫殿榜。尝待从皇帝出巡于南、北二京。
       宣德(公元1426一1435年)中，转考工主事，仍供内直。正统(公元1436—1449年)中升太常卿。他为人坦率乐易，不拘小节，时常出入礼法间，人们也不怎么去责怪他。晚年回到故乡居住，以诗画宴乐自娱。
      夏昶，画竹学王绂兼学陈继，有自己的面目，声誉大大超过了他的老师。其兄夏昺，字孟旸，亦以书法召试称旨，命与昶同拜中书舍人，时称“大小中书”。画山水师元画家高克恭；又善竹石，萧萧有林壑之气，但平生不多作，故世人一般只知道夏昶墨竹，而不知其兄昺。
其孙女为归有光祖母，另一孙女则在其过世后嫁予文征明为妻。
       夏昶以楷书笔法画竹，所作竹枝烟姿雨色，偃直浓巯，各循矩度而气韵生动。当时学他画竹的人很多，画史记载的如同里(昆山)的屈礿(字处诚)、海虞(常熟)的张绪(字廷瑞)、钱塘(杭州)的詹和（字仲和)。而以屈礿为突出。明吴宽《匏庵集》说：“今人家多得，往往出其手，真伪固自能辨。”徐沁《明画录》说夏昶“写竹时称第一，名驰绝域，争以兼金购求，故有‘夏昶一箇竹，西凉十锭金’之谣”。所作竹枝烟姿雨色，偃值浓疎，动和榘度，盖行家也。昆山之人师之者更数辈，独屈约颇类之，而人所得，往往出其手。尤精楷法，永乐命书宫殿榜。卒年八十三。
       传世作品有《湘江风雨图卷》（故宫博物院藏）、《满林春雨图轴》（南京博物院藏）、《墨竹图轴》（苏州博物馆藏）等。
 

Xia Chang (1388-1470), the word Zhong Zhao, No. lay, Yufeng, Kunshan, later known as the master of painting bamboo. His early surnamed Zhu, name Chang, after the complex surname Xia, Taizu renamed Chang, the word Zhong Zhao. No. comfortable lay, and No. Yufeng, Kunshan, Jiangsu, Xia Li brother. Orthodox official to Taichang Temple straight cabinet. Painting ink bamboo division Wang Fu, can get its wonderful, when the first push, Chi Chi domain, to purchase the gold.
       Yongle thirteen years (AD 1415) in the examination for the Imperial Academy Shu Ji Shi. Wong is very appreciated his regular script, was recommended for the introspection, granted the book Scheeren. Yongle book of names. Taste to be emigrated from the emperor in the south, north two Beijing.
       Xuande (AD 1426-1435), the transfer to the main task, is still available for straight. Orthodox (AD 1436-1449 years) in the rise too often. He was frankly Le Yi, sloppy, often out of etiquette, people do not how to blame him. Returning to his hometown in his later years to live, to poetry and fun.
      Xia Chang, painting bamboo Wang Fu and learn Chen Ji, have their own face, much better than his teacher reputation. His brother Xia Xia, the word Meng Yang, also called calligraphy called the purpose, life and Chang with worship book scheeren, when called "the size of the book." Painting the mountains and waters division painter Gao Kegong; and good bamboo stone, rustling the forest gully of the gas, but his life is not much, so the world generally only know the summer Chang ink bamboo, but I do not know their brother.
The granddaughter is owned by the light grandmother, another granddaughter in the aftermath of her marriage to Wen Zhengming wife.