About Wu Wei
Lived 1459 – 1508 (aged 48–49). Wu Wei was a Chinese painter.
Wu Wei (; ca. 1459–1508) was a painter of Ming dynasty (1368–1644) China famous for his landscapes.
Wu was born in Wuchang in Hubei province. His style names were Shiying and Ciweng, and his sobriquets were Lufu and Xiaoxian.
Although he was born into a family of scholar-officials and might have pursued a career in the bureaucracy, Wu Wei instead chose to support himself as a painter. He worked as a professional painter in the city of Nanjing, and three emperors summoned him to work as a court painter in Beijing: the Chenghua emperor (r. 1465–87), the Hongzhi emperor (r. 1488–1505), and the Zhengde emperor (r. 1506–21).
Wu Wei is known as a landscape painter, and, at least early in his career, he was inspired by the work of Dai Jin (1388–1462). He also painted figures. Wu painted in a strong, fluent, and uninhibited style, and took on many students to teach.
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Important facts
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Ciweng zi ShiyingPeople in Wu Wei's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Wu Wei's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Wu Wei?
Chinese painter (1459-1508)
When was Wu Wei born?
Wu Wei was born in 1459 in Jiangxia District.
When did Wu Wei die?
Wu Wei died in 1508 in Nanjing.
What was Wu Wei's occupation?
Wu Wei was a painter.
What nationality was Wu Wei?
Wu Wei was Chinese.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Wu Wei. https://biography.guide/wu-wei/
MLA: "Wu Wei." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/wu-wei/.
Chicago: "Wu Wei." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/wu-wei/.
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