Wen Zhengming (28 November 1470 – 1559), born Wen Bi, was a Chinese
painter,
calligrapher
Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...
, and
poet
A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...
during the Ming dynasty. He was regarded as one of the
Four Masters of Ming painting.
Biography
Wen Zhengming was born Wen Bi near present-day
Suzhou
Suzhou (; ; Suzhounese: ''sou¹ tseu¹'' , Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Soochow, is a major city in southern Jiangsu province, East China. Suzhou is the largest city in Jiangsu, and a major economic center and focal point of trade ...
on 28 November 1470. He would later be known by his
courtesy name
A courtesy name (), also known as a style name, is a name bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name. This practice is a tradition in the East Asian cultural sphere, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.Ulrich Theobald ...
, Zhengming. He had an elder brother, Wen Gui, who was born in 1469. When Zhengming was two years old, his father, Wen Lin, passed the
imperial examination
The imperial examination (; lit. "subject recommendation") refers to a civil-service examination system in Imperial China, administered for the purpose of selecting candidates for the state bureaucracy. The concept of choosing bureaucrats by ...
with the highest possible rank, ''jinshi''. Wen Lin was assigned a government position as a magistrate in
Yongjia County
Yongjia County (; Wenzhou dialect: yon2ko1/ yu3 ''ion ko'') is a county in Wenzhou in the southeast of Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China, located north of the city proper of Wenzhou
Wenzhou (pronounced ; Wenzhounese: Yuziou y33 ...
in
Zhejiang
Zhejiang ( or , ; , also romanized as Chekiang) is an eastern, coastal province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. Zhejiang is bordered by Jiang ...
province, and left for his job, leaving his two sons in the care of his wife, Qi Shenning. In 1476, Qi died of an illness at the age of 32. Wen Lin commissioned the noted scholar
Li Dongyang
Li Dongyang (, 1447–1516) was a Chinese historian, poet, and politician during the Ming dynasty.
Born in Beijing, Li began writing since 4 years old. He was invited by the Jingtai Emperor to the court for testing and requested his presence t ...
to write an inscription for her tomb.
Wen Zhengming's family was originally from a line of military men who lived in
Hengshan County
Hengshan County () is a county in the Province of Hunan, China and it is under the administration of Hengyang prefecture-level city. Located in the north of Hengyang and the east-central part of Hunan province, the county is bordered to the north ...
,
Hunan
Hunan (, ; ) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the South Central China region. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi to ...
province. At the time of his great-great-grandfather Wen Dingcong, the family moved to the city of
Changzhou
Changzhou ( Changzhounese: ''Zaon Tsei'', ) is a prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu province, China. It was previously known as Yanling, Lanling and Jinling. Located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, Changzhou borders the provin ...
in the Suzhou area. Zhengming was a distant relative of the
Song dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
official
Wen Tianxiang
Wen Tianxiang (; June 6, 1236 – January 9, 1283), noble title Duke of Xin (), was a Chinese poet and politician in the last years of the Southern Song dynasty. For his resistance to Kublai Khan's invasion of the Southern Song dynasty, and for ...
, through an ancestor who lived in Hengshan. From this he derived his ''hao'' (
art name
An art name (pseudonym or pen name), also known by its native names ''hào'' (in Mandarin), ''gō'' (in Japanese), ''ho'' (in Korean), and ''tên hiệu'' (in Vietnamese), is a professional name used by East Asian artists, poets and writers. The ...
), Hengshan, which he used to sign many of his works. His father Wen Lin and his grandfather Wen Hong (Gongda) were both interested in painting. Wen Lin was also a patron of
Tang Yin
Tang Yin (; 1470–1524), courtesy name Bohu (), was a Chinese painter, calligrapher, and poet of the Ming dynasty period. Even though he was born during the Ming dynasty, many of his paintings, especially those of people, were illustrated with el ...
, Wen Zhengming's contemporary and fellow member of the "
Four Masters of the Ming dynasty
The Four Masters of the Ming dynasty () are a traditional grouping in Chinese art history of four famous Chinese painters that lived during the Ming dynasty. The group consists of Shen Zhou (1427–1509), Wen Zhengming (1470–1559), Tang Yin (1 ...
".
In 1489, Wen Zhengming began studying under
Shen Zhou
Shen Zhou (, 1427–1509), courtesy names Qi'nan () and Shitian (), was a Chinese painting, Chinese painter in the Ming dynasty. He lived during the post-transition period of the Yuan conquest of the Ming. Luckily, his family worked closely with ...
, the eldest of the Four Masters and founder of the
Wu school
Wu or Wumen School () is a group of painters of the Southern School during the Ming period of Chinese history. It was not an academy or educational institution, but rather a group united largely by the artistic theories of its members. Often clas ...
of painting, of which Wen himself later became a leading figure. Zhengming's father Wen Lin died in 1499, while working as prefect of
Wenzhou
Wenzhou (pronounced ; Wenzhounese: Yuziou y33–11 tɕiɤu33–32 ), historically known as Wenchow is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Zhejiang province in the People's Republic of China. Wenzhou is located at the extreme south east o ...
. At Zhengming's request, Shen Zhou provided a written account of Wen Lin's life for the funeral.
Wen Zhengming married the daughter of a high-ranking official and ''jinshi'' named Wu Yu around the year 1490. Her uncle was the artist
Xia Chang
Xia Chang (; 1388–1470) originally named Zhu Chang, was a Ming dynasty Chinese painter and government official.
Xia specialized in ink bamboo painting, following the style of Wang Fu. His courtesy name was 'Zhongzhao' () and his art names wer ...
, whose paintings of bamboo may have influenced Wen's own work. Little is known about Wen's wife herself, whose personal name was not recorded. After she died in 1542, Wen painted ''Wintry Trees after
Li Cheng'' for a guest who arrived with a gift to mourn her death.
Around 1509–1513, Wang Xianchen, a friend of the Wen family, began construction on the
Humble Administrator's Garden
The Humble Administrator's Garden (; Suzhou Wu: ) is a Chinese garden in Suzhou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most famous of the gardens of Suzhou. The garden is located at 178 Northeast Street (东北街178号), Gusu District.
At ...
, generally considered one of China's greatest classical gardens. The garden is the subject of some of Wen Zhengming's poems and paintings, including an album of thirty-one views painted in 1535 and a second of eight views in 1551.
Wen Zhengming's brother Wen Gui died in 1536. Zhengming's eldest son,
Wen Peng, was a noted
seal-engraver. His second son.
Wen Jia
Wen Jia (Wen Chia, traditional Chinese: 文嘉, simplified Chinese: 文嘉, pinyin: Wénjiā); ca. 1501-1583 was a Chinese painter of landscapes and flowers during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644).
Wen was born in the Jiangsu province. His ...
, was also an artist, as was his nephew
Wen Boren (son of Wen Gui). His great grandson,
Wen Zhenheng
Wen Zhenheng (, 1585–1645) was a Ming dynasty scholar, painter, landscape garden designer, and great grandson of Wen Zhengming, a famous Ming dynasty painter.
Wen was born in Suzhou in 1585. In 1621, he graduated from the Imperial Academy, obta ...
, a noted garden designer, rebuilt the
Garden of Cultivation
The Garden of Cultivation () is one of the best preserved examples of a Ming Dynasty classical garden in Suzhou. It is part of the Classical Gardens of Suzhou on UNESCO's World Heritage Site list. "Due to its special history, this Garden was virt ...
in Suzhou. His great-granddaughter,
Wen Shu
Wen Shu or Wen Chu (; 1595-1634) was a Chinese illustrator and painter who worked under the art name Hanshan and was known for her paintings of flora and small insects during the Ming dynasty. She is considered the finest flower painter of the ...
, was a popular and respected professional painter of flowers and insects.
Style
Wen Zhengming was one of a number of Ming dynasty literati artists who set themselves in opposition to the professional, academy-influenced style favored in the region of
Zhejiang
Zhejiang ( or , ; , also romanized as Chekiang) is an eastern, coastal province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. Zhejiang is bordered by Jiang ...
. Wen and other amateur artists of the
Wu school
Wu or Wumen School () is a group of painters of the Southern School during the Ming period of Chinese history. It was not an academy or educational institution, but rather a group united largely by the artistic theories of its members. Often clas ...
(named after the region around Suzhou, where many of them were based) carried on the ''wenren'' () scholar-artist tradition of the preceding dynasties. Eschewing official sponsorship and hostile to the politics of the imperial court, these artists sought private patrons and the respect of their peers, frequently painting works in the style of older masters. Wen studied under the founder of the Wu school, Shen Zhou, whose style he was deeply influenced by. He sometimes added his own poetry to Shen Zhou's paintings, thereby benefitting from the latter's established reputation. After he achieved fame in his own right, Wen's many colophons to Shen Zhou's works often lent them authenticity in the eyes of collectors.
Wen and his mentor both revered the artists of the preceding
Song
A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetitio ...
and
Yuan dynasties, though he rarely imitated them directly. He produced works in a number of styles, and has been called a "chameleon" whose works could easily be misidentified. Wen's paintings were highly sought after by wealthy collectors throughout the 16th century, and counterfeits of his works were common during the late Ming.
Wen Zhengming was also a prolific and well-known writer, whose poems often touched on the subject of painting. He regarded art and nature as being inseparable, and frequently wrote about and painted nature scenes, as well as private gardens such as the Humble Administrator's Garden.
In addition to his poetry and painting, Wen Zhengming was also known for his calligraphy. As a young man, Zhengming was introduced by his father Wen Lin to a leading calligrapher of the Suzhou area. By 1541, he was thought to be the greatest calligrapher in China, particularly in the ''kaishu'' (
regular script
Regular script (; Hepburn: ''kaisho''), also called (), (''zhēnshū''), (''kǎitǐ'') and (''zhèngshū''), is the newest of the Chinese script styles (popularized from the Cao Wei dynasty c. 200 AD and maturing stylistically around the ...
) and ''xingshu'' (
semi-cursive script
Semi-cursive script (), also known as running hand script, is a style of calligraphy which emerged in China during the Han dynasty (3rd century BC – 3rd century AD). The style is used to write Chinese characters and is abbreviated slightly w ...
) styles. As a calligrapher, his technique was influenced by that of the Song dynasty master
Huang Tingjian
Huang Tingjian (; 1045–1105) was a Chinese calligrapher, painter, and poet of the Song dynasty. He is predominantly known as a calligrapher, and is also admired for his painting and poetry. He was one of the Four Masters of the Song Dynasty () ...
.
File:明 文徵明 樓居圖軸-Living Aloft- Master Liu's Retreat MET DP274197.jpg, ''Living Aloft - Master Liu's Retreat''
File:Garden of the Humble Administrator.jpg, One of eight album leaves depicting the Humble Administrator's Garden
The Humble Administrator's Garden (; Suzhou Wu: ) is a Chinese garden in Suzhou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most famous of the gardens of Suzhou. The garden is located at 178 Northeast Street (东北街178号), Gusu District.
At ...
, painted in 1551
Image:Wen Zhengming painting.jpg
File:Wen Zhengming (Nantoyōsō).JPG
Image:Wintry trees after Li Cheng.jpg, ''Wintry trees'' after Li Cheng
Image:CMOC Treasures of Ancient China exhibit - Pi Pa Xing in running script, top view.jpg, ''Pi Pa Xing '' in semi-cursive script
Semi-cursive script (), also known as running hand script, is a style of calligraphy which emerged in China during the Han dynasty (3rd century BC – 3rd century AD). The style is used to write Chinese characters and is abbreviated slightly w ...
References
Works cited
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External links
Four Great Masters of the Ming Dynasty: Wen Zhengmingat the
National Palace Museum, Taipei
''Bamboo, Orchids, Rock, and Calligraphy''at the
Worcester Art Museum
The Worcester Art Museum, also known by its acronym WAM, houses over 38,000 works of art dating from antiquity to the present day and representing cultures from all over the world. WAM opened in 1898 in Worcester, Massachusetts, and ranks among th ...
''The First Prose Poem on the Red Cliff''by Wen Zhengming at the
Detroit Institute of Arts
The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), located in Midtown Detroit, Michigan, has one of the list of largest art museums, largest and most significant art collections in the United States. With over 100 galleries, it covers with a major renovation a ...
''Wintry Trees''after Li Cheng by Wen Zhengming at the
British Museum
The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...
Wen Zhengmingat Mildchina
Wen Zhengmingat the
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...
, New York
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wen, Zhengming
1470 births
1559 deaths
15th-century Chinese calligraphers
16th-century Chinese calligraphers
Chinese tea masters
Ming dynasty calligraphers
Ming dynasty painters
Painters from Suzhou