Who is Zhu Ming?

Though somewhat unfamiliar on the Chinese Mainland, his name is well-known throughout Taiwan. Zhu is one of the first modern Chinese artists to earn worldwide acclaim. For those who don’t know his name, his impressive body of work speaks for itself.

In contrast to the majority of modern artists, Zhu Ming did not receive formal artistic education. He was born Zhu Chuantai in 1938, into an impoverished farmer’s family in Miaoli County, Taiwan. After Zhu completed primary school, his father could no longer afford increasing tuition. Zhu was sent instead to become an apprentice sculptor at the local Matsu temple, working under an old master called Li Jinchuan.

There, he started to learn engraving and painting, which laid the foundations for his future development. For three years, under Li Jinchuan’s careful instruction, Zhu developed his individual style. In a later interview with the Discovery Channel, he expressed sincere gratitude to his teacher for all his hard work and patience during that time.

He said he had learned two valuable lessons. The first was that he must master the art of sketching. The teacher had told him that, “In order to make excellent sculptures, you need to master the basics of art instead of imitating others’ pictures or patterns. A sculptor who does not know how to sketch is like an architect who builds houses without knowing how to draw blueprints.”