Chu Yun-ming (1460-1526), Hsi-che by style name, was a native of Ch'ang-chou
(Soochow). Because he was born six-fingered on the right hand, his sobriquets were
Chih-shan and Chih-chih-sheng ("Chih" means "six-fingered"). He
demonstrated his
best talent in calligraphy, was close to T'ang Yin from the same district, and is called
the Four Talents in the region of Wu along with Wen Cheng-ming, Tang Yin and Hsu
Chen-ch'ing. This work was produced to celebrate the thirtieth birthday of his friend
Tsu Yun-hui. The keynote of this piece is the small standard script which is intermingled
with the semi-cursive script indicating the freedom of brushstrokes.
Related Painting and Calligraphy: No. C8 On Tsu Yun-hui's Birthday