Chen Jiru (simplified Chinese: 陈继儒; traditional Chinese: 陳繼儒; pinyin: Chén Jìrú; Wade–Giles: Ch'en Chi-ju); ca. 1558-1639 was a Chinese landscape painter and calligrapher during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644).[1]
Chen was born in Huating (华亭)[1] (the present day Songjiang district in Shanghai ).[2] His style name was 'Zhong Chun' (仲醇) and his pseudonyms were 'Mi Gong' (麋公) and 'Mei Gong' (眉公).[1][3] Chen's calligraphy followed the style of Su Shi and Mi Fu. Chen also painted landscapes and elegant still lifes.
In 1595 he wrote Tea Talks (茶董補), still often quoted in China and Japan, and he studied pottery and created purple clay teapots in the Yixing style. His Shallow Comments on the Art of Nourishing Life as well as A Gentleman's Remarks on Diet were a reference for many years.
Chen Jiru left an autobiography which contains a "patently fictitious account of the circumstances of his own death, a most extraordinary innovation," writes the modern scholar Pei-yi Wu, describing Chen as "a member of the literati known for his versatile artistic talents."[4]
In 2007, Jamie Greenbaum, a researcher at the University of Beijing, published a book[5] on Chen Jiru's writings which provides an overview of his larger-than-life personality, as well as an account of the different literary personae he invented.