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Cheng Dayue
Wanli-era ink maker of Shexian in Huizhou, rival of Fang Yulu, who published the illustrated ink catalogue Chengshi moyuan
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 Cheng Junfang · Zi Youbo
Cheng Dayue, courtesy name Youbo and better known as Cheng Junfang, was an ink maker of Shexian in Huizhou during the Wanli reign. Careful in his choice of soot and glue, he rivalled Fang Yulu, and when the two fell out and Fang published his ink catalogue, Cheng answered with the Chengshi moyuan, more than five hundred ink-cake designs drawn by Ding Yunpeng and others and cut by the Huang family block carvers of Huizhou. It also reproduced religious prints given to him by Matteo Ricci with romanised text, and it is counted among the great illustrated books of the Ming. Inks such as Palaces Coming on the Clouds bear his name.
Life and times
Dates 1541 CE–c. 1616 CE