Zheng Xie (1693-1765), better known by his art name Zheng Banqiao, was a celebrated painter and calligrapher of the Qing Dynasty. A native of Xinghua in Jiangsu Province, he became one of the famous “Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou” — artists known for breaking from convention with bold, expressive styles. His poetry, calligraphy, and painting were so admired that people called them his “three masterpieces.” He was especially renowned for his orchids and bamboo.
But among the stories told about Zheng Banqiao, one reveals something beyond artistic skill.
Two artists’ studios on the same lane
In his early years, Zheng lived in Suzhou and opened a painting studio at the eastern end of Taohua Lane to support himself. At the western end of the same lane, another artist named Lü Zijing ran his own studio.
Lü’s circumstances were difficult. He had failed the imperial examinations, suffered from chronic illness, and had elderly parents, a wife, and children depending entirely on his income. His family’s survival rested on what he could earn from his brush. Lü specialized in painting plum blossoms.
Zheng Banqiao painted bamboo, birds-and-flowers, and landscapes — but never plum blossoms.
When patrons asked him to paint plum blossoms, he would smile and say: “Mr. Lü Zijing excels at painting plum blossoms. You should seek his work instead.”
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