Shizhuzhai Shuhuapu

The Shizhuzhai Shuhuapu (Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Painting and Calligraphy) is a significant manual produced by Hu Zhengyan between 1619 and 1633. This work set a high standard for polychrome wood-block printing and influenced the development of color printing in Japan. The manual is an example of the sophisticated tradition of wood-block printing that emerged in the late Ming dynasty, often imitating paintings. Artists like Chen Hongshou participated in print production, contributing to book illustrations and playing cards, while others created high-quality topographical illustrations. This medium influenced painting and was, in turn, influenced by it.1