Chou Wen-chu: Echoes of the Tang in Monochrome The world of classical Chinese painting often feels like a vast, shimmering ocean, filled with legendary figures and elusive works. Among those whose names remain somewhat veiled in mystery is Chou Wen-chu – also known as Zhou Wenju – a painter who flourished during the turbulent Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907–960). Born in Jurong, China, around 942, his life was inextricably linked to the remnants of the Tang Dynasty’s artistic legacy, a time of profound political upheaval yet also remarkable cultural continuity. While precise deta…