Wang Duanshu

Life

Wang Duanshu was the daughter of Wang Siren, and her mother was Yao. Her siblings included Wang Huaiqi, Wang Jingshu, Wang Dingqi, Wang Xiaqi, Wang Yueqi, and Wang Zhenshu. Wang Siren had eight sons, while Wang Duanshu was the daughter who could read her father's books; he cherished her and regarded one daughter as worth more than eight sons.

She married the shengyuan Ding Zhaosheng. She was the daughter-in-law of Ding Qianxue, and her daughter was Ding Junwang. She lived in Wulin, where she occupied herself with poetry and prose. She first stayed at Xu Wenchang’s Qingteng Studio and later at Wu Hill in Wulin, exchanging verses with scholars from many regions and writing calligraphy before guests. She died in 1706 at the age of more than eighty.

Literary and artistic work

She was learned and excelled in poetry and prose, calligraphy, and painting; she was particularly skilled at flower painting, in a style described as spare and vigorous. She was also well versed in history. She was regarded as a leading woman poet in southeastern China, although her historical learning was less widely known than her poetry. When Mao Xihe compiled an anthology of poetry by Zhejiang women, he omitted her; she answered with a teasing poem about the omission.

Writings and literary relations

Her poetry collections included 《玉映堂集》 and 《吟紅集》. Her other collections included 《留篋集》 and 《恆心集》. She compiled 《名媛文緯》. She also compiled 《詩緯》. The historical compilations associated with her include 《史愚》 and 《歷代帝王后妃古今年號名史》. Another listed title is 《名媛詩緯初編》, in forty-two volumes.

Ding Shengxiang and Ding Shengzhao wrote prefaces for her books. She wrote a colophon for a work by Chen Sushu.