Zhao mengfu biography examples

Zhao Mengfu (1254 – 1322 AD) (pronounced jow [rhymes with ‘cow’] mung-foo) is a simultaneously admired yet frowned upon figure in Chinese history.

A shadow has long covered his political reputation.

But the sparkle of his artistic talent shines through it.

Let’s look at his biography, calligraphy, and painting.

Family background and early life

Zhao Mengfu (赵孟頫 [Zhào Mèngfǔ]), courtesy name Zi’ang (子昂), was born in Wucheng County (today’s Wuxing District of Huzhou, Zhejiang Province) during the late Song dynasty (960 – 1279 AD).

(Today, the Song dynasty is generally divided into the Northern Song (960 – 1127) and the Southern Song (1127 – 1279) periods.)

The latter had lost half of its territory to the Jurchen-ruled Jin dynasty (1115 – 1234).

However, it was still a prosperous and highly cultured society)

He was an 11^th generation descendent of the founder of the Song dynasty, Empe