Details
From historical records of the Ming Dynasty
Original text
Shen Zhou, courtesy name Qinan, was a native of Changzhou, and was good at poetry and painting. Zu Cheng, Yongle promoted talents. No. The place where he lives is called Xizhuang.
He sets up wine and shepherds guests, and he is named Gu Zhongying. Uncle Zhenji, father Hengji, and Kangyin. There is a bamboo house in the building, where the brothers study, are good at poetry and painting, and Zang Huo also understands calligraphy. Chen Mengxian, a native of the city, was the son of Chen Wujingji. Zhou Shaocong traveled there and got his guidance. In the eleventh year of the year, he traveled to the southern capital and wrote poems in hundreds of rhymes, serving Cui Gong, the governor's minister. Interviewed for "Phoenix Terrace Ode", he was impressed by the writing and was immediately impressed. As long as it is long, you can read everything in the book. The writing is imitated by Zuo's, the poetry is imitated by Bai Juyi, Su Shi, and Lu You, and the calligraphy is imitated by Huang Tingjian, and he is loved by the world. He was especially good at painting, and critics said he was the best in the Ming Dynasty. The county governor wanted to recommend Zhou Xianliang, and Zhou Xun's "Yi" was obtained by "Escape" No. 95. Zhou decided to hide. The place where I live has the beauty of the Shuizhu Pavilion, where the books, tripods, tripods, and Yi vessels are staggered. Famous people from all over the world pass by, and the romantic and cultural brilliance shines for a while. Be extremely filial to relatives. When his father died, he might have persuaded him to be an official, but he said to him, "If you don't know that my mother takes me as your life? How can I leave my knees?" Ju Heng was tired of entering the city, and he set up a nest outside Guo, and built it when he had something to do. In his later years, he disappeared without a trace, so the governors Wang Shu and Peng Lixian paid tribute to him, wanting to stay behind, and said they were old mothers.
Some counties and governors solicited painters to paint house walls. There was a person who was sick in Zhou Dynasty. His name was entered and he was photographed. Or he advised Zhou Ye to go on a tour to avoid it, but Zhou said: "It is righteous to serve in the past. It would be more humiliating to pay a visit to the nobles!" The soldiers returned to serve. After Shou entered the throne room, Quan Cao asked: "Is Mr. Shen okay?" Shou didn't know what he was talking about, so he responded casually: "You're okay." Seeing the cabinet, Li Dongyang asked: "Is there anything wrong with Mr. Shen?" Shou Yi was stunned and replied. Man Ying said, "I have but I haven't arrived yet." After leaving, he hurriedly paid a visit to Wu Kuan, the minister, and asked, "Who is Mr. Shen?" Kuan Bei gave his description. Asking the left and right is a way of painting on the wall. Bi returned, visited Zhou She, bowed again to take the blame, asked for food, and left after eating. Because of his mother's death, Zhou never traveled far in his life. The mother's year ended at ninety-nine, and Zhou was also eighty. Three more years later, he died in the fourth year of Zhengde.
Translation
Shen Zhou, named Qinan, was from Changzhou. His grandfather Shen Cheng was promoted as a virtuous person during the Yongle period, but (he) did not accept it. The place where he lived was called Xizhuang held banquets every day to entertain guests, and people compared him to Gu Zhongying. (Shen Zhou)'s uncle Shen Zhenji and father Shen Hengji were as aloof and reclusive as Shen Cheng. They built a bamboo house where their brothers studied. They were good at writing poems. Shen Zhou was good at painting, and the servants at home knew something about writing. Chen Mengxian, a native of the same county, was Chen Wujing's stepson. Shen Zhou followed him on a study tour when he was young and received his guidance. At the age of eleven, he studied in Nandu and wrote a hundred-rhyme poem. , presented it to Cui Gong, the governor's assistant. (Cui Gong) tested "Phoenix Terrace Ode" in person. (Shen Zhou) finished writing it immediately. Cui Gong was very impressed. When he grew up, there was no book he had not read. . His articles imitated Zuo Qiuming's (writing style), his poems imitated Bai Juyi, Su Shi, and Lu You, and his calligraphy (calligraphy) imitated Huang Tingjian. He was loved by the world, and he was especially good at painting. Commentators all called him the best in the Ming Dynasty.
The county governor wanted to recommend Shen Zhou as a virtuous man. Shen Zhou used the "Book of Changes" for divination and got the ninety-five hexagrams of "Escape", so he made up his mind to live in seclusion. The place where he lived was Shuizhu Pavilion with beautiful scenery. The house of books, tripods and Yi is arranged in a jumbled manner, and celebrities from all over the world come and go. There is no empty day, and the elegance and literary talent shine for a while. He serves his parents with the utmost filial piety. When his father passed away, someone advised him to become an official, (he) replied: "You don't know (me) Does mother regard me as her life? How can I leave her side?" In life, I often hated entering the city, so I built a house outside the city and stayed there when I had trouble. In his later years, lest he could not hide deeply, there were successive governors Wang Shu and Peng Li both respected him with courtesy and wanted to stay in (their) mansion, but (Shen Zhou) all declined on the grounds that his mother was old.
A county governor recruited painters to paint houses. Wall. Some villagers who hated Shen Zhou put his name on (the list of painters), so (he) was summoned (to paint the wall). Someone advised Shen Zhou to visit some powerful people to be exempted from (the call), and Shen Zhou said: "Go and paint the wall." Serving in the military is an obligation, and visiting the powerful is not humiliating you again." Finally, he came back from the service. Soon, the county guard went to court, and Quan Cao asked: "How is Mr. Shen?" The county guard didn't know what to answer, so he casually replied: "Very well. Okay." When he visited the cabinet, Li Dongyang said: "Does Mr. Shen have a letter?" The county guard was even more surprised and casually replied: "Yes, it's not here yet." The county guard came out and hurriedly visited Wu Kuan, the minister, and asked: "Shen Who is the gentleman?" Wu Kuan described his situation in detail. (Again) he asked the people around him and (he said) it was the person who painted the wall. When he came back, (the county guard) visited Shen Zhou's house and kowtowed twice. He took the initiative to take responsibility for his fault and wanted to eat. Shen Zhou gave him food, and (the county guard) left Le. Because of his mother, Shen Zhou never traveled far in his life. His mother died at the age of ninety-nine, and Shen Zhou was also eighty. Three more years passed. He died in the fourth year of Zhengde.
Shen Zhou (1427-1509), also known as Qinan, Shitian, Baishiweng, Yutiansheng, Youzhuju master, etc., was a painter of the Ming Dynasty and a member of the Wumen School of Painting. The founder, one of the four Ming Dynasty families, was from Changzhou (now Suzhou, Jiangsu). He was born in the second year of Xuande in Ming Dynasty and died in the fourth year of Zhengde in Ming Dynasty. He was eighty-two years old (actually eighty-three years old). He should not take the imperial examination and specialize in poetry, calligraphy and painting. He was the founder of the "Wu School" of literati painting in the mid-Ming Dynasty. Together with Wen Zhengming, Tang Yin and Qiu Ying, he was known as the "Four Ming Schools". His handed down works include "High Pictures of Mount Lu", "Old Pictures of Qiulin Talk" and "Interesting Pictures of Cangzhou". He is the author of "Ishida Collection", "Guest News", etc.