Artist: Pan Yunduan (1526-1601)

Date: Ming (1368-1644)

Dimensions: Height 28.0 cm, Width 18.0 cm

Material: Paper

• Object Type：
  • CALLIGRAPHY
• Location：
  • The Painting and Calligraphy of Shanghai Gallery
• Tag：
  • diary pan yunduan ming paper

Pan Yunduan (1526-1601), also known by his zi (designated name) Zhonglü and hao (literary name) Chong'an, was a native of Shanghai. A jinshi (a successful candidate of imperial civil-examination) of the 41^st year (1562) of the Jiajing reign, he eventually rose to the position of the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Sichuan. He built the Yu Garden, which, along with Wang Shizhen's Yan Garden, was celebrated as one of the most famous gardens in southeastern China. The Yuhua Studio in the Yu Garden served as a key venue for hosting guests. His diaries, totaling eight volumes in manuscript form, record his daily life from 1586 to 1601. These diaries frequently mention his collection of famous calligraphy and paintings, offering a glimpse into the social customs of late-Ming Jiangnan and the cultural interactions of the local gentry class.