Cultivators: Chen Shu

Ch’en Shu (1660–1736) was a Chinese painter from the Qing dynasty, known for her exquisite flower-and-bird paintings that blended precision with delicate beauty. As one of the few recognized female artists of her time, she mastered traditional painting techniques while incorporating her own refined sense of composition and color. 

For Further Reading:

• ‘The Mountains are Quiet and the Days Grow Long’: The Steady Hand of Ch’en Shu
• The Conventional Success of Ch'en Shu
• Chen Shu | Cockatoo | China | Qing dynasty (1644–1911)

This month, we’re talking about cultivators — women who nurtured, cross-pollinated, experimented, or went to great lengths to better understand and protect the natural world.

History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.

Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.

Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, Vanessa Handy, Melia Agudelo, and Joia Putnoi. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.

Original theme music composed by Brittany Martinez.

Follow Wonder Media Network:

• Website
• Instagram
• Twitter

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello. My name is Abi Dhlc. I'm a producer at
Wonder Media Network and I'm so excited to be guest
hosting this Earthday episode of Womanica. This month, we're talking
about cultivators, women who nurtured, cross pollinated, experimented, or went
to great lengths to better understand and protect the natural world.

(00:25):
With expressive brushwork and poetic compositions. Today's Womaniquin solidified herself
as one of pre modern China's most skilled painters. From
rolling mountains and flowing rivers to elegant trees and flowers,
she brought nature to life. Let's talk about Chen Shu.

(00:51):
Picture this. It's the year sixteen sixty in the city
of Jashing in the Zuzang Province. Baby girl is born
on the birthday of the god of literature. Perhaps it
was fate then that her parents named her Shoe, a
name signifying writing in books. Chen Shu came from an

(01:13):
upper class conservative family that confined the girls in their
family to domestic duties and what they considered feminine pursuits,
but she didn't let that squash her hunger for knowledge.
At just eight years old, Chen Shue pestered the boys
in her family to share their school lessons with her.

(01:34):
She memorized their readings, determined to educate herself. Eventually she
could recite exactly what was in their books. During this time,
she also learned how to copy calligraphy. But there was
something that she seemed to enjoy a little more than literature, painting.

(01:55):
Even as a young student, chen Shue was drawn to
landscapes in nature. She soon evolved from copying calligraphy to
copying paintings that she liked. Yet in her conservative household,
painting was not seen as an appropriate pursuit for a
young girl. Her mother disapproved of her artistic inclinations and

(02:16):
insisted on keeping her focused on sewing and domestic tasks.
But once again, chen Chu refused to be pinned down.
One day, after secretly copying a famous painting from her
father's study, she was caught and punished. That night, her
mother had a dream, the god of literature appeared to her, declaring,

(02:42):
I have given your daughter a brush. Someday she will
be famous. How can you forbid it? After that, chen
Chu was allowed to study art. Her parents even hired
a teacher to educate her in the classics. When chen

(03:03):
Chu was still young, her father died, the family struggled
to stay afloat. Chen Chu contributed to the family's livelihood
through her needlework. Later, when she married, she entered a
family that, while high ranking, lived modestly. Her husband was
a poet and calligrapher. Her father in law was a

(03:24):
respected calligrapher and talented landscape painter. He encouraged Chen Shu's
work in their home. She found both support and artistic stimulation,
refining her craft in landscapes, figure paintings, and the delicate
beauty of flowers and birds. As an artist, chen Chu

(03:45):
followed the tradition of early Qing Orthodox School, drawing inspiration
from past masters. Her landscape paintings, such as the Mountains
Are Quiet and the Days Grow Long, echoed the style
of Yon dynasty artist Wang Mung. She did not seek
to replicate nature exactly, but instead referenced classical forms, creating

(04:09):
imaginative compositions that paid homage to history. But it was
her flower paintings that truly set her apart. She painted
both in formal, detailed manner and with a freer, more
expressive touch. One of her most celebrated works, a seventeen
thirteen album titled Ten Sketches from Life, captured flowers, vegetables,

(04:34):
birds and insects in a light, spontaneous style. Another masterpiece,
Auspicious Flowers, depicted symbols of prosperity and renewal like orchids,
plum blossoms, a red persimmon fruit, and water lilies. It
celebrated the new year with vivid colors and her careful

(04:55):
attention to detail. Chen Chu's White Cockatail stands out as
one of her more refined and formal flower and bird compositions.
The painting showcases incredible detail, blending precision with a touch
of decorative elegance. Its carefully balanced color palette enhances the
natural beauty of the subject, while the plain background and

(05:18):
diagonal arrangement draw attention to the delicate, intricate elements. This
approach reflects the skilled artists of the Imperial Painting Academy,
who were known for their sophisticated yet harmonious artistic techniques.
Despite her immense talent, chen Chu might have faded into
obscurity like so many female artists of her time, but

(05:41):
fortune and family played a role in preserving her legacy.
Her eldest son, che Yen chen Chun rose to prominence
as a scholar official, he introduced his mother's works to
the chi En Long Emperor. The emperor was so captivated
by her paintings that he returned to them, repeatedly adding

(06:04):
inscriptions until the pages were full. This royal admiration ensured
that many of her works entered the Ching Imperial Collection,
securing her place in history. Though her son's biography of
her focused more on her virtues as a mother and
wife than on her artistic achievements, chen Chu's legacy as

(06:26):
a painter enders. Her works are housed in the National
Palace Museum in Taipei, the Beijing Palace Museum, and the
Shanghai Museum, making her the female painter with the most
works preserved in China's imperial collections. Chen Chu died in
seventeen thirty six. She was seventy six years old. All month,

(06:51):
we're talking about cultivators. For more information, find us on
Facebook and Instagram at Wamanica Podcast. Thanks to co creators
Jenny and Liz Kaplan for letting me guest host. Talk
to you tomorrow