WU YUSHAN AND HIS PURSUIT OF FAITH IN THE GREAT DYNASTIC TRANSITION時勢丕變中之吴漁山及其信仰的求索
This article examines the life and intellectual trajectory of Wu Yushan (Wu Li, 1632–1718), a renowned painter and poet, within the turbulent context of the Ming-Qing dynastic transition. Author Gu Weimin argues that Wu’s eventual conversion to Catholicism and his singular "pursuit of faith" were in...
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| Published in: | Review of Culture |
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| Format: | Articles |
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Instituto Cultural de Macau
January 2005
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| Online Access: | https://www.icm.gov.mo/rc/viewer/pdfViewerParts/40013/2323 |
| Summary: | This article examines the life and intellectual trajectory of Wu Yushan (Wu Li, 1632–1718), a renowned painter and poet, within the turbulent context of the Ming-Qing dynastic transition. Author Gu Weimin argues that Wu’s eventual conversion to Catholicism and his singular "pursuit of faith" were inextricably linked to his identity as a Ming loyalist (*yimin*). By analyzing Wu’s eminent family background—descending from a line of high-ranking Ming officials—the study highlights the profound sense of loss and political passion that defined his youth following the Manchu conquest.
The article explores Wu’s social network, composed of prominent loyalist scholars and artists such as Qian Qianyi, whose shared resistance to the new regime influenced Wu’s moral and artistic development. Through a biographical and historiographical lens, Gu illustrates how Wu maintained his integrity amidst political upheaval, using his creative output to navigate the "devastating anguish" of his era. The research suggests that Wu’s religious transformation was not merely a personal shift but a complex response to the collapse of the Ming social order, representing a quest for spiritual certainty during a period of intense cultural crisis. Ultimately, the work provides a nuanced portrait of a scholar-artist whose search for faith served as a means of reconciling his loyalist identity with the realities of a new dynastic era. |
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| ISSN: | 1682-1106 |