About Wen Peng
Lived 1498 – 1573 (aged 74–75). Wen Peng was a Chinese painter, calligrapher, poet and seal cutter.
Wen Peng (, 1497–1573), also known as Shou Cheng and San Qiao, was a maker of personal seals during the Ming dynasty.
He was born in Shanghai and raised in Suzhou, the son of painter Wen Zhengming. Employed as a lecturer by the Guozijian (in both Beijing and Nanjing), he was widely regarded as the founder of modern seal-carving. Wen founded the Sanqiao (Wumen) School of seal engraving.
Wen worked originally in ivory, creating calligraphic designs that were incised into the material by his colleague Li Wenpu. However, after creating some experimental seals using soapstone, he switched to using stone for his work, and his later career focuses exclusively on this material. Wen also developed the modern recipe for the red paste used to create the seal's stamp; he recommended a mixture of ground cinnabar, castor oil and moxa. He Zhen, founder of the Huizhou (Xingyuang) school of seal-engraving, was Wen's student.
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Important facts
People in Wen Peng's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Wen Peng's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Wen Peng?
painter (1498-1573)
When was Wen Peng born?
Wen Peng was born in 1498 in Suzhou.
When did Wen Peng die?
Wen Peng died in 1573.
What was Wen Peng's occupation?
Wen Peng was a painter, calligrapher, poet and seal cutter.
What nationality was Wen Peng?
Wen Peng was Chinese.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Wen Peng. https://biography.guide/wen-peng/
MLA: "Wen Peng." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/wen-peng/.
Chicago: "Wen Peng." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/wen-peng/.
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