Wu Shuang Pu (Chinese: 無雙譜; lit. 'Table of Peerless Heroes') is a book of woodcut prints, first printed in 1694, early on in the Qing dynasty. This book contains the biographies and imagined portraits of 40 notable heroes and heroines from the Han dynasty to the Song dynasty, all accompanied by a brief introduction and guided by a related poem in yuefu style.[1][2] The illustrations from the book were widely distributed and re-used, often as motifs on Chinese porcelain.[3][4]

Wu Shuang Pu
Zhang Chengye as depicted in the Wu Shuang Pu (無雙譜, Table of Peerless Heroes) by Jin Gulian
Traditional Chinese無雙譜
Simplified Chinese无双谱
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinWú Shuāng Pǔ
Bopomofoㄨˊㄕㄨㄤㄆㄨˇ
Wade–GilesWu2 Shuang1 Pʻu3
IPA[ǔ ʂwáŋ pʰù]
Hakka
RomanizationVu2 Sung1 Pu3
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationWu2 Shwang1 Pu3
JyutpingMou4 Soeng1 Pou2
Alternative name
(Nanling Wu Shuang Pu)
Chinese南陵無雙譜
Literal meaningNanling Table of Peerless Heroes
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinNánlíng Wú Shuāng Pǔ
Bopomofoㄋㄢˊㄌㄧㄥˊㄨˊㄕㄨㄤㄆㄨˇ
Wade–GilesNan2-ling2 Wu2 Shuang1 Pʻu3
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutpingnaam4ling4 Mou4 Soeng1 Pou2
Wu Shuang Pu
Ban Chao (32–102) depicted on Chinese porcelain, Xianfeng period (1850–1861)
Wu Shuang Pu
Poem of Ban Zhao (45–116)
She was the wife of Cao Shishu. She finished the book of the royal family that her father and brother has started. She served the royal family as a teacher.

The original book has a seal that says Nanling, which is why the book is also known as Nanling Wu Shuang Pu. A re-edition of this book from the year 1699 is kept in the National Museum of China. In January 2006, an original hand-painted book of Wu Shuang Pu was sold at the Chongyuan auction house in Shanghai for 2.86 million CNY (US$440,000/£320,000).

The scholar and philologist Mao Qiling praised the book in the preface, he felt that the prose in this book formed a trinity with the poems and prints.

The painter of Wu Shuang Pu is Jin Shi (金史, c.1625–1695), who was known as Jin Guliang (金古良),[5][3] born in Shanyin (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China). Jin Guliang was inspired by Chen Hongshou and was following the examples of Cui Zizhong,[6] who initiated the first major revival of figure painting since the Song dynasty. Jin Guliang compiled the book together with woodcarver Zhu Gui.[4]

Included biographies

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No. Name Translation (pinyin) Also known as
1 张良 Zhang Liang (c. 250–189 BC), pinyin: Zhāng Liàng Zhang Zifang 张子房, Liu Hou 留侯
2 項籍 Xiang Ji (232–202 BC), pinyin: Xiàng Jí Xiang Yu 项羽, Xichu Bawang 西楚霸王
3 伏生 Fu Sheng (c. 268–178 BC), pinyin: Fú Shēng Master Fu 伏生
4 东方朔 Dongfang Shuo (154–93 BC), pinyin: Dōngfāng Shuò Dongfang ManQian 东方曼倩
5 张骞 Zhang Qian (164–114 BC), pinyin: Zhāng Qiān
6 苏武 Su Wu (140–60 BC), pinyin: Sū Wǔ Su Si Qing 苏子卿
7 司马迁 Sima Qian (c. 145–86 BC), pinyin: Sīmǎ Qiān Long Men Si 龙门司, Ma Qian Si 马迁司, Ma Zi Chang 马子长
8 董贤 Dong Xian (23–1 BC), pinyin: Dǒng xián
9 严子陵 Yan Ziling (c. 0–75), pinyin: Yán Zǐlíng Yan Xiansheng 严先生, Yan Guang 嚴光
10 曹娥 Cao E (c. 130–143), pinyin: Cáo É Cao Xiaonü 曹孝女
11 班超 Ban Chao (32–102), pinyin: Bān Chāo Ding Yuan Hou 定远侯, Zhong Sheng 仲升
12 班昭 Ban Zhao (45–116), pinyin: Bān Zhāo Ban Huiban 班惠班, Cao Daijia 曹大家
13 赵娥 Zhao E (c. 25–220), pinyin: Zhào É Zhao E Qin 趙娥親, Pang E 龐娥
14 孙策 Sun Ce (175–200), pinyin: Sūn Cè Jiang Dong Sun Lang 江东孙郎
15 诸葛亮 Zhuge Liang (181–234), pinyin: Zhūgě Liàng Han Cheng Qiang 汉丞相
16 焦孝然 Jiao Xiaoran (c. 481–221 BC), pinyin: Jiāo Xiàorán Yin Shi 隐士, Jiao Xian 焦先
17 刘谌 Liu Chen (220–263), pinyin: Liú Chén Beidi Wang-Prince of Beidi 北地王
18 羊祜 Yang Hu (221–278), pinyin: Yáng Hù Yang Shu Zi 羊叔子
19 周处 Zhou Chu (236–297), pinyin: Zhōu Chǔ Ziyin 子隱
20 绿珠 Lüzhu (c. 250–300), pinyin: Lǜ Zhū Liang 良
21 陶渊明 Tao Yuanming (365–427), pinyin: Táo Yuānmíng Tao Qian 陶潛
22 王猛 Wang Meng (325–375), pinyin: Wáng Měng Wang Jing Lue 王景略
23 謝安 Xie An (320–385), pinyin: Xiè Ān Xie Gong 谢公, Jin Tai Fu 晋太傅, Xie Anshi 謝安石
24 苏蕙 Su Hui (351–381), pinyin: Sū Huì Su Ruo Lan 苏若兰
25 花木兰 Hua Mulan (c. 400–500), pinyin: Huā Mùlán
26 冼夫人 Xian Furen (512–602), pinyin: Xiǎn Fūren Xian Zhen 冼珍, Lady Xian 冼夫人, Qiaoguo Furen-Lady of Qiaoguo 谯国夫人
27 武则天 Wu Zetian (624–705), pinyin: Wǔ Zétiān Wu Zhao 武曌
28 狄仁杰 Di Renjie (630–700), pinyin: Dí Rénjié Liang Gong 梁公
29 安金藏 An Jincang (c. 600–800), pinyin: Ān Jīncáng
30 郭子仪 Guo Ziyi (697–781), pinyin: Guō Zǐyí Guo Shangfu/Guo Changfu, Fenyang wang-Prince of Fenyang 尚父郭汾阳王
31 李白 Li Bai (701–762), pinyin: Lǐ Bái Li Tai Bai, Li po, Li Tai Po, Li Qing Lian, (Hao) Qinglian Jushi
32 李畢 Li Bi (722–789), pinyin: Lǐ Bì Li Mi 李泌, Liye Hou 李邺侯
33 张承业 Zhang Chengye (846–922), pinyin: Zhāng Chéngyè Tang Jian Jun 唐建军
34 冯道 Feng Dao (882–954), pinyin: Féng Dào Chang Yue Lao 长乐老
35 陳摶 Chen Tuan (871–989), pinyin: Chén Tuán Chen Chuan 陈抟, Chen Tunan 陳南
36 钱镠 Qian Liu (852–932), pinyin: Qián liú Qian Jumei 具美, Qian Poliu 钱婆留
37 安民 An Min (c. 1050–1125), pinyin: Ān Mín
38 陈东 Chen Dong (1086–1127), pinyin: Chén Dōng Tai Xue Lu 太学绿
39 岳飞 Yue Fei (1103–1142), pinyin: Yuè Fēi Yue E Wang 岳鄂王
40 文天祥 Wen Tianxiang (1236–1283), pinyin: Wén Tiānxiáng Wen Chengxiang 丞相

Selected republications (Chinese)

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  • Jin, Guliang (1996). Wushuang pu. Shijiazhuang: Hebei peoples publishing house, China. ISBN 7531008157.
  • Jin, Guliang (2013). Wushuang pu. Hefei: Anhui peoples publishing house, China. ISBN 978-7212060541.

References

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