Pu Shixun

CHINA, Sichuan; Later Shu Kingdom

Also known as Pu Zongxun, Pu Shixun was a painter and a native of Shu (present day Sichuan). He learned to paint at an early age and excelled in the portrayal of figures, deities, spirits, and horses. He was highly praised by his mentor, Fang Congzhen, who is quoted with having said, “What you have achieved is not what I have taught.”
During the Later Shu Kingdom, Pu was invited by Emperor Meng Zhixiang (reigned 934) to paint murals at several temples. He was later appointed by Emperor Meng Chang (reigned 934–965) as Scholar Staff in the Hanlin Academy and received a purple robe and golden fish bag. Pu was believed to have restored Buddhist images painted by the renowned Tang dynasty (618–907) artist, Wu Daozi, as well as temple murals created by Zhang Suqing and Fang Congzhen.
His mural painting of Vaisravana Heavenly King of the North at Daci Temple in Chengdu was noted in Records of Famous Paintings in Yizhou. His paintings are recorded in both Overview of Painting and Evaluation of Painters.