Chaokui

CHINA, Jiangsu, Suzhou; Ming to Qing dynasty

Chaokui, whose original name was Wen Guo and was also known as Lun’an, was a monk and painter from Changzhou (present day Suzhou, Jiangsu). Impoverished by the death of his father, and on refusing to accept the offer of an official position, he became a monk. Keen on poetry, essays, calligraphy, and especially painting landscapes, he uniquely depicted the famous mountains and scenery of places he visited. He was conferred the posthumous title of Chan Master Wenjue after his death, and granted an urn for his remains at Yuquanshan by imperial order.