This is the caption of image number 1You Qiu (act. ca. late 16th c. - ca. early 17th c.), Ming dynasty (1368-1644)
Dated 1575, hanging scroll, ink on paper, 113×46 cm

 

You Qiu, courtesy name Ziqiu with style name Fengqiu, was a native of Changzhou (today's Suzhou, Jiangsu Province) living in Taicang (located in today's Jiangsu Province). He was active during the Jiajing (1522-1566) and Wanli reigns (1573-1620), yet his birth and death were not clearly documented. He was said to be the nephew of Qiu Ying (ca.1505-1552). Born of humble origins, for a long time You Qiu made a living selling his paintings. Noted for his exquisite painting skills, You Qiu befriended celebrities of Suzhou literati circles, including Wang Shizhen (1526-1590) and his brother Wang Shimao (1536-1588), Zhang Fengji (1528-1641), and Zhou Tianqiu (1514-1595). Besides his devotion to landscape painting, he also created figure paintings, including the sub-genre of women. He was especially acclaimed for his outline paintings which were produced without color, shading or wash. His painting technique was a distant continuation of Liu Songnian (act. ca. late 12th c) of the Song dynasty (960-1279) and Qian Shunju (ca. 1239-1299) of the Yuan dynasty (1272-1368), and emulation of his putative uncle Qiu Ying. His paintings feature a delicate, elegant and transcendent effect.
  Hong Fu is a figure in the Legend of the Man with the Curly Beard (Qiuranke zhuan), a Tang dynasty (618-907) legend. Originally called Zhang Chuchen, she served as a maid of Yang Su (d. 606), a powerful aristocrat in the last years of the Sui dynasty (581-618). Hongfu became well known for the red whisk (hongfu) that she always held in her hand. Li Jing (571-649), the then commanding officer of Mayi and later the Minister of War for the Tang empire, begged for an audience with Yang Su. When Li Jing came, Hongfu found that Li Jing had great ambitions and she admired him so much that she dressed as a man and snuck off with Li at night. Later they married, and Hongfu assisted Li Jing in accomplishing great things. The theme of this story – a beauty having the good sense to recognize a hero – was wide spread. This painting depicts the scene when Li Jing was visiting Yang Su. It shows many people in various manners. The figures were painted with the technique of outline-drawing. The court ladies in the picture have graceful composure. (Editor:admin)