Qiu Zhu

Lore & Background

Qiu Zhu, also known as Miss Qiu and by her art name Duling Neishi, was a Chinese painter of the Ming dynasty whose work focused on figures rather than landscapes. She is especially noted for her depictions of the bodhisattva Guanyin, a subject that appears repeatedly in her surviving oeuvre. Her most celebrated treatment of this deity is the album of 24 portraits of Guanyin, executed in gold ink on black paper, which alternates each image with a short passage of text. This album was inspired by a set of woodblock prints by Ding Yunpeng, which themselves derived from a hand scroll by the earlier master Li Gonglin. Another acclaimed work, *White Robed Guanyin*, is held in the collection of the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Beyond religious subjects, Qiu Zhu painted women engaged in leisurely pursuits: playing the board game xiangqi beneath plum blossoms, strumming a guqin under wutong trees, seated at a writing desk, or playing with a parrot. She also depicted women celebrating the Double Seven Festival, which honors the Weaver Maid, the patron spirit of women’s work. Her style is characterized by firm brushstrokes and delicate drawing, and a later Ming dynasty scholar praised her as a “Li Gonglin among women.” She was active from around 1565 to 1585, receiving commissions for birthday gifts and to accompany calligraphy, including illustrations for Wang Chong’s calligraphy of the narrative poem *Nymph of the Luo River*. Her work was well received, and she is considered to have influenced the painter Wen Shu.

Reader's Guide

A later Ming dynasty scholar praised Qiu Zhu as a “Li Gonglin among women,” a comparison that underscores her technical mastery. Her style is characterized by firm brushstrokes and delicate drawing. She is best known for her depictions of Guanyin, the bodhisattva of compassion, a subject especially appealing to women; her portrayals of the goddess have been described as “mysteriously transcendent.” One notable work is an album of twenty-four Guanyin portraits, executed in gold ink on black paper, which alternates each image with a short text passage. This album was inspired by a set of woodblock prints by Ding Yunpeng, which themselves derived from a hand scroll by Li Gonglin. Another acclaimed painting, *White Robed Guanyin*, is held in the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Beyond Guanyin, she painted other religious figures, such as a fan painting of a Daoist female immortal, possibly Chang E. Her non-religious subjects focus on women at leisure: playing xiangqi under plum blossoms, playing a guqin under wutong trees, sitting at a writing desk, playing with a parrot, or celebrating the Double Seven Festival, which honors the Weaver Maid, patron spirit of women’s work. Qiu Zhu was considered a highly refined painter and is recognized as an influence on the later artist Wen Shu.

Did You Know?

• Qiu Zhu was the daughter of Qiu Ying, one of the Four Masters of the Ming dynasty.
• She was possibly married to You Qiu, though this has been questioned by some scholars.
• Her album of 24 portraits of Guanyin is painted in gold ink on black paper.
• A later Ming dynasty scholar called her a 'Li Gonglin among women.'