Makers › Master Craftsmen
Fang Yulu
Wanli-era ink maker from Shexian who trained under Cheng Junfang, set up his own workshop, rivalled his teacher and published the Fangshi mopu
A craft workshop centres on a potter's wheel holding a tall celadon vase, amid racks of red lacquer boxes, an embroidery frame with a floral design, shelves of celadon ware, carved wooden panels and stacked logs, while one craftsman works at a table and another stands at a glowing kiln.
Also known as Original name Da'ao · Zi Jianyuan
Fang Yulu, first named Da'ao, courtesy name Jianyuan, came from Shexian in Huizhou. He learned ink making from Cheng Junfang and then set up his own workshop, producing tung-oil soot inks mixed with costly ingredients that rivalled Cheng's, and the two later fell out. His Fangshi mopu in six juan illustrates 385 ink designs in fine woodblock pictures, a landmark of Huizhou printing. The Palace Museum holds his round ink cake Wenxi zhaoshui, dated 1601.
Life and times
Dates c. 1541–c. 1608