zhu ruoji, also known as shitao, was a chinese buddhist monk, calligrapher, and landscape painter who lived during the early qing dynasty. born in 1642 in quanzhou county, guangxi province, zhu ruoji was a member of the royal house descended from the elder brother of zhu yuanzhang. he narrowly avoided catastrophe in 1644 when the ming dynasty fell to invading manchus and civil rebellion. early life and career having escaped by chance f…