ZHENG MANQING (1902-1975)
Lotus
Hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper
146.5 x 56.5 cm. (57 ⁵⁄₈ x 22 ¹⁄₄ in.)
Inscribed and signed, with three seals of the artist
Dated summer, jiashen year (1944)
Dedicated to Madam Zhuoqun and Guozhen (K. C. Wu)

NOTE:
Zheng Manqing was originally from Wenzhou with his birth name Yue. He organized Poetry Societies with Yu Youren and Chen Hanguang, and later established The Seven Friends Painting Club with members including Ma Shouhua, Tao Yunlou, Chen Fangzhang, Gu Nianliu, Yan Taogao and Gao Yihong after moving to Taiwan in 1949. During 1965, Zheng moved to United States of America, stayed in New York, and established School of Tai Chi with a great many of students. With his expertise in five categories including Poetry, Paintings, Tai Chi, Medical, Zheng was known for “The Legend of the Generation”, “The Master of The Five”, and “The Master of The Five in Yongjia”.

K.C. Wu (1903-1984), a prominent politician, reformer and historian, left an indelible mark on modern Chinese history. Born in Hubei, he was educated at Grinnell College and Princeton University, where he earned his doctorate in political science in 1926. His career in public service began in Hankou. He later served as the wartime Mayor of Chongqing and became Mayor of Shanghai in 1946. In 1949, he was appointed the Governor of Taiwan. An outspoken advocate for liberal reforms, he was one of the key architects of postwar Taiwan society. His wife Edith Huang Wu (1912-2002) was an accomplished artist. She studied under Zheng Manqing and Pu Ru, whose teachings greatly influenced her work. The present collection has been cherished by the family until today.