Zhu Da
Eccentric ink wash paintings with minimalist style
Zhu Da (朱耷) (1626–1705), male, originally named Zhu Tongjiao(朱统𨨗), courtesy name Ren'an(刃庵), also known as Bada Shanren(八大山人), Lv Han(驴汉), Xue Ge(雪个), Ren Wu(人屋), and others, was from Nanchang, Jiangxi. He was of Han ethnicity and a ninth-generation descendant of Zhu Quan(朱权), the seventeenth son of Emperor Hongwu of the Ming dynasty. He was a painter during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties and one of the Four Monks of the early Qing period. Zhu Da was influenced by his family from a young age. By eight, he could write poetry, and by eleven, he could paint landscapes and write semi-cursive script. He once inherited the title of Deputy General. At sixteen, he passed the imperial examination and became a xiucai. In the seventeenth year of the Chongzhen reign (1644), after the Ming dynasty was overthrown by rebel forces, Zhu Da feigned deafness and muteness to avoid persecution and eventually lived in seclusion in the mountains of Jinxian, Xinjian, and Fengxin. In the fifth year of the Shunzhi reign (1648), he shaved his head and became a monk, taking the Buddhist name Chuanqian. In the tenth year of Shunzhi (1652), he received his precepts from the elder Geng’an and was called a Zongshi, living in the mountains to teach the scriptures. In the first year of Kangxi (1662), he returned to Nanchang and became the abbot of Tianning Temple, a Daoist temple fifteen li south of the city. The temple was later rebuilt and renamed Qingyun under Zhu Da’s supervision. In the twenty-sixth year of Kangxi (1687), he passed the leadership of Qingyun to Tu Ruoyu and built the Wuge Cottage in Nanchang city. During this period, he traveled to visit friends and painted extensively. In the thirty-third year of Kangxi (1694), he created the artwork "Fish and Rock." Zhu Da passed away in the forty-fourth year of Kangxi (1705) at the age of 79. Throughout his life, Zhu Da focused mainly on painting, combining it with poetry, calligraphy, and seal carving. His poetry was eccentric, obscure, mystical, and sarcastic. His calligraphy drew from masters like Wang Xizhi, Wang Xianzhi, and Yan Zhenqing and could convey a proud and unrestrained temperament with bold strokes while maintaining elegance and fluidity. His painting was particularly renowned; in flower-and-bird paintings, he favored expressive ink washes with exaggerated and unusual forms. His landscape paintings were influenced by Dong Qichang, featuring simple brushwork and a serene quality. His artistic creations achieved the harmony of "simple strokes with complete forms" and "combining form and spirit." Notable works include "Peacock Painting," "Willow and Bathing Birds," and "Lotus and Water Birds." His unique style had a profound influence on later generations.