A Life Woven with Ink and Rain The story of Wu Shixian (1845 – 1916) is one inextricably linked to the twilight years of the Qing Dynasty, a period of profound transformation in China. Born in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, into a family steeped in intellectual pursuits, Wu’s early life was marked by exposure to traditional learning and a burgeoning interest in Western art—a relatively new phenomenon rapidly infiltrating Shanghai at th…