Wen Zhengming - Wen Zhengming

A Chinese writer, calligrapher and painter in the mid-Ming dynasty. His original name was Bi, and Zhengming was his pen name. Later he was known by his pen name, and later changed it to Zheng Zhong. His pen name was Hengshan. He was from Changzhou (Suzhou, Jiangsu Province). He failed the imperial examination several times, but in 1523 (the second year of the Jiajing era) he was awarded the title of Hanlin Taizheng. He soon retired from service and returned home, where he devoted himself to the world of poetry, calligraphy and painting. Many writers gathered around him, admiring his virtue and talent, and poetry, calligraphy and painting flourished. Zhu Yunming, Xu Zhenqing, Tang Yin and Wang Chong were among his friends. This can be said to be the formation of the Suzhou literati circle, and on this basis the Southern School of Wu painting style of the Ming dynasty developed. He studied calligraphy under Li Yingzhen, but he also adopted the strengths of Wang Xizhi, Huang Tingjian, and Zhao Mengfu, and was highly regarded. He, along with Tang Yin, Zhu Yunming, and Xu Zhenqing, are known as the "Four Talented Men of the Wu Dynasty." He studied poetry and prose under Wu Kuan. He was influenced by Shen Zhou in painting, but further developed his own style, creating a delicate and elegant style using light colors and ink. His sons Wen Peng (1498-1573) and Wen Jia (1499-1582) were also skilled in calligraphy and painting. One of his representative paintings is "Tall Trees in Deep Spring" (Shanghai Museum).

[Kondo Hidemi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、明(みん)代中期の文人、書画家。初名は璧(へき)、徴明は字(あざな)。のち字をもって行われ、さらに徴仲(ちょうちゅう)と字を改めた。号は衡山(こうざん)。長洲（江蘇(こうそ)省蘇州）の人。科挙の試験に数度失敗したが、1523年（嘉靖2）翰林待詔(かんりんたいしょう)を授かる。ほどなく致仕して帰郷、詩書画の世界に没入した。彼の人徳とその才を慕って多くの文人が集まり、詩書画に華を咲かせることとなった。祝允明(しゅくいんめい)、徐禎卿(じょていけい)、唐寅(とういん)、王寵(おうちょう)らがその仲間となる。これは蘇州文人サークルの形成といってよく、これをもとに明代呉派の南宗画風が発展していった。書は李応禎(りおうてい)に学ぶも、王羲之(おうぎし)、黄庭堅(こうていけん)、趙孟頫(ちょうもうふ)の長所をよくとり、評判高かった。彼に唐寅、祝允明、徐禎卿をあわせて「呉中四才子」とよぶ。詩文を呉寛(ごかん)に学ぶ。画(え)は沈周(しんしゅう)の影響を受けたがさらに独自に発展させ、淡彩・淡墨による細やかで秀麗な画風をつくりあげた。子の文彭(ぶんぽう)（1498―1573）、文嘉(ぶんか)（1499―1582）も書画をよくした。画の代表作に『春深高樹図』（上海(シャンハイ)博物館）がある。

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