Chu Yun-ming (Zhu Yunming)

was a famous literatus and calligrapher living during the Ming dynasty. He was born 1460 in Ch'ang-chou (today Jiangsu/Suzhou) from a feudal family of officials. He died in 1526 at the age of sixtysix.
His 'tzu' was Hsi-che, his 'hao' Chih-shan (see his calligraphy's signature) and Chih-chih-sheng.
Later on he became Magistrate of Hsing Ning County, Canton, and General Judge of Ying T'ien Prefecture, after that retiring for health reasons and returning to his home village.
Together with three other literati and calligraphers, Chu and his fellow artists were called 'The four talented masters of Wu'.
His last years of life Zhu Yunming spent in poverty.

His work has been handed down to our days e.g. in the collection 'Huai Hsing T'ang Chi'.