Fang Mengshi (one account gives her birth year as 1584, while another leaves it unspecified; she died in 1639) was a Ming-dynasty poet and painter. Her courtesy name was Ruyao, and she was from Tongcheng in Anqing Prefecture.
Biography
She was the daughter of Fang Dazhen (方大鎮) and the granddaughter of Fang Xuejian (方學漸); her younger brother was the vice minister of war Fang Kongzhao (方孔炤), and her younger sisters were Fang Weiyi (方維儀) and Fang Weize (方維則). Her husband was Zhang Bingwen (張秉文), a Shandong provincial administration commissioner; her daughter was Zhang Demao (張德茂). Fang Yizhi (方以智) was her nephew, and Fang Zhongfa (方中發) her grandnephew.
In the twelfth year of the Chongzhen reign, Zhang Bingwen defended Jinan against Qing forces and died on the city wall. On hearing the news, Fang Mengshi threw herself into a pool and died at Jinan. She was posthumously granted the title First-rank Lady for following her husband in death.
Poetry, Painting, and Works
She was well versed in poetry and classical learning. She was skilled in painting, especially in images of Guanyin, and was a poet with a collected volume. Her works include 紉蘭閣集 and 紉蘭閣詩集; their stated lengths are eight and fourteen juan, respectively. Associated prefaces were written by Fang Weiyi (方維儀), Zhang Bingwen (張秉文), Fang Kongzhao (方孔炤), Zheng Shi (鄭氏), Wu Huijing (吳慧鏡), Wu Yingbin (吳應賓), Lu Menglong (陸夢龍), Zheng Shi (孫門), and Zhang Ying (張英); Jiang Bingyong (蔣秉雍) wrote a postscript.
References
- CBDB Fang Mengshi (54981)
- 搜韵 方孟式 (46580)
- Wikidata Fang Mengshi (Q45444375)