Wu Li
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Wu Li, SJ (); ca. 1632-1718 was a Chinese
landscape painter Landscape painting, also known as landscape art, is the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, especially where the main subject is a wide view—with its elements arranged into a coherent compos ...
, poet, calligrapher and
Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...
from
Jiangsu Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, Postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an Eastern China, eastern coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China. It is o ...
who lived during the
Qing Dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
(1644–1912). Wu was born in
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
Jiangsu Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, Postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an Eastern China, eastern coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China. It is o ...
province of
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. His style name was 'Yu Shan' and his
sobriquet A sobriquet ( ), or soubriquet, is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another, that is descriptive. A sobriquet is distinct from a pseudonym, as it is typically a familiar name used in place of a real name, without the need of expla ...
was 'Mojing Daoren'. Wu learned poetry from
Qian Qianyi Qian Qianyi (; Suzhou dialect: ; 1582–1664) was a Chinese historian, poet, and politician during the late Ming dynasty.Cihai: Page 1704. Qian was a famous author and poet; and along with Gong Dingzi and Wu Weiye was known as one of the Three M ...
. He was taught painting by
Wang Shimin Wáng Shímǐn (; c. 1592–1680) was a Chinese landscape painter during the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty (1644–1911). Born in the Jiangsu province, Wang grew up in an artistic, scholarly environment. His grandfather was a p ...
and Wang Jian, and was influenced by the painters
Huang Gongwang Huang Gongwang (1269–1354), birth name Lu Jian (), was Chinese painter, poet, and writer born at the end of the Song dynasty in Changshu, Jiangsu. He was the oldest of the "Four Masters of the Yuan dynasty". Biography At the age of 10, the S ...
and Wang Meng. His landscapes utilized dry brush strokes and light colors. His distinctive style elevated him to where he is now identified as one of the
Six Masters of the early Qing period The Six Masters of the early Qing period () were a group of major Chinese artists who worked in the 17th and early 18th centuries during the Qing dynasty. Also known as orthodox masters, they continued the tradition of the scholar-painter, followi ...
. Wu converted to
Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, and became a member of the
Society of Jesus , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...
. In 1688, after seven years of training at
St. Paul's College, Macau St. Paul's College of Macau ( pt, Colégio de São Paulo; ) also known as College of Madre de Deus ( Mater Dei in Latin) was a university founded in 1594 in Macau by Jesuits at the service of the Portuguese under the Padroado treaty. It claims the ...
, he was
ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform va ...
one of the three first Chinese
Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...
priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...
s, taking the name ''Simon-Xavier a Cunha''. He spent the remaining 30 years of his life serving tirelessly as priest in rural villages. The dramatic decline and fall of the
Ming Dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
and the coming to power of the Manchu Qing Dynasty caused the crisis of a number of intellectuals, who looked for new directions for them and for the country. The teaching of the Jesuits' learned missionaries, based out of Macau, appealed to them. Several literati, steeped in
Confucianism Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or ...
and
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
, sought widening religious horizons, accepting the 'Western Teaching'. Conversion to
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
was for them the arrival point of a spiritual and personal journey toward religious fulfillment. The converts saw in the Christian teaching an opportunity to revitalize, morally and scientifically, a country in crisis. Wu often went to the
Xing Fu XING is a Hamburg-based career-oriented social networking site, operated by New Work SE (until mid-2019 ''XING SE''). The site is primarily focused on the German-speaking market, alongside XING Spain, and competes with the American platform Li ...
Buddhist convent in
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 ...
during his middle-age years and was a close friend of monk
Mo Yong Mo or MO may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Mo, a girl in the ''Horrible Histories'' TV series * Mo, also known as Mortimer, in the novel ''Inkheart'' by Cornelia Funke * Mo, in the webcomic ''Jesus and Mo'' * Mo, the ...
, but from 1675 on he was inclined toward Catholicism through his contact with Jesuit missionaries
Lu Rima Lu, Lü, or LU may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Lu (music), Tibetan folk music * Lu (duo), a Mexican band ** ''Lu'' (album) * Character from Mike, Lu & Og * Lupe Fiasco or Lu (born 1982), American musician * Lebor na hUidre, a manuscript ...
( Franciscus de Rougemont), Bai Yingli ( Phillippe Couplet), and others.See He was converted and christened (by?) Ximan Sawulue ( Simon Xaverius). In 1681 Couplet was recalled to Europe. Wu intended to go with him, but his plans did not materialize when they reached Macau. Wu remained in Macau for five months and returned to his hometown in the summer of 1682. He returned to Macau in the winter and joined the Society of Jesus. At the age of 50, Wu Li's life took a dramatic turn. After the death of his wife and his masters, obeying to an internal quest for spiritual excellence, fascinated by the Jesuit art and architecture, and after having been a Catholic for seven years, he chose to join the Jesuits in Macau in pursue of the 'heavenly learning'. There he strenuously searched 'the Western Lantern', struggling to learn a new language (
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
) and to acquire a new religious dimension, on the lines of the 'Spiritual Exercises', as a son of Saint
Ignatius of Loyola Ignatius of Loyola, Society of Jesus, S.J. (born Íñigo López de Oñaz y Loyola; eu, Ignazio Loiolakoa; es, Ignacio de Loyola; la, Ignatius de Loyola; – 31 July 1556), venerated as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a Spain, Spanish Catholic ...
. He was consecrated a priest on 1 Aug 1688 in
Nanjing Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and the second largest city in the East China region. T ...
by Chinese
bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
Luo Wenzao Luo Wenzao, O.P. (alternately: Lou Wenzao, Lo Wen-Tsao, Lo Wenzao, ) (1616 – February 27, 1691) became the first Chinese priest in 1656 and the first Chinese Bishop in 1685. He was also known as Gregory Lopez ( es, Gregorio Lopez) in the P ...
. His first pastoral assignment was in
Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
. In 1691 he was put in charge of the religious affairs of the
Jiading Jiading is a suburban district of Shanghai. It had a population of 1,471,100 in 2010. History Historically, Jiading was a separate municipality/town, until, in 1958, becoming under the administration of Shanghai. In 1993, Jiading's designate ...
Catholic Church. Wu Li indeed chose for himself a path of self-denial and total dedication to the new faith and to the new ministry. Often disguised as a peasant or fisherman, he traveled for thirty years from village to village to
evangelize In Christianity, evangelism (or witnessing) is the act of preaching the gospel with the intention of sharing the message and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians who specialize in evangelism are often known as evangelists, whether they are in ...
. Wu Li could have become a rich and famous court painter, as had his friend Wang Hui, but he chose instead the obscurity of Jiangsu countryside to serve as an itinerant missionary and pastor, struggling against tremendous difficulties and with poor results. He was a good shepherd, in imitation of
Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, names and titles), was ...
, totally devoted to the spiritual welfare of peasants. The poems that he kept writing as a priest illustrate exceptional qualities of his tireless dedication, his faith, his joys and the moments of frustration. Wu Li in no way rejected his Chinese identity, as shown by the fact that his paintings maintained an
autochthonous Autochthon, autochthons or autochthonous may refer to: Fiction * Autochthon (Atlantis), a character in Plato's myth of Atlantis * Autochthons, characters in the novel ''The Divine Invasion'' by Philip K. Dick * Autochthon, a Primordial in the ' ...
style, and he signed them with his Chinese name. The extent of Western influence in his figurative art, if any, has been discussed by scholars, with no clear consensus reached. Scholars, however, agree on the exceptionally important value of Wu Li's personal experience. Wu Li was a man of rare qualities: a fine Chinese intellectual, a remarkable artist, a Jesuit, a missionary and a priest totally devoted to his flock. Wu died at age 86 after serving 30 years as a priest. He composed many poems reflecting his own preaching career and religious feelings, which are collected in an anthology, '' San Yi Ji''. His sermons from 15 Aug 1696 to 25 Dec 1697 and other religious activities were compiled by Zhao Lun, a convert in
Jiading Jiading is a suburban district of Shanghai. It had a population of 1,471,100 in 2010. History Historically, Jiading was a separate municipality/town, until, in 1958, becoming under the administration of Shanghai. In 1993, Jiading's designate ...
, in a book, '' Kou Duo'' (Record of Word and Deeds), the first collection of sermons by a Chinese priest.


References

* Chaves, Jonathan, Singing of the Source: Nature and God in the Poetry of the Chinese Painter Wu Li (University of Hawaii Press, 1993). * Chen Yuan, "Wu-Yu-shan: In Commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of His Ordination to the Priesthood in the Society of Jesus," Monumenta Serica, Vol. 3 (1938). * Chou Kang-hsieh, ed., Wu Yu-shan (Li) yen-chiu lun-chi (reprint of 11 articles on Wu Li plus three new articles) (1971). * Lippe, A., "A Christian Chinese Painter: Wu Li (1632-1718)," Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, Vol. 11 (1952). * Tchang, M., and P. de Prunele, Le Pere Siomon a Cunha, S.J. (Ou Li Yu-chan), L'homme et l'oevre artistique (1914). * Weststeijn, T., "‘Intoxicated, we listened to warblers and swallows chattering in the spring wind’. Art in the friendship between François de Rougemont and Wu Li," Netherlands yearbook for history of art, Vol. 70 (2021), pp. 294–309. https://doi.org/10.1163/22145966-07001013 *


External links

* http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Wu-Li,-painter,-poet-and-Jesuit,-in-the-Church-of-the-Early-Qing-157.html * http://www.bdcconline.net/en/stories/w/wu-yushan.php * http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Wu+Li+%281632-1718%29+and+the+first+Chinese+Christian+poetry.-a098904688 * http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/49158?=&imgno=2&tabname=label * http://riccilibrary.usfca.edu/view.aspx?catalogID=4382 {{DEFAULTSORT:Wu, Li Qing dynasty landscape painters 1632 births 1718 deaths Chinese Roman Catholics Converts to Roman Catholicism Chinese Jesuits Painters from Suzhou People from Changshu Religious artists Converts to Roman Catholicism from Buddhism