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The Gengzhi Tu (耕织图, Pictures of Tilling and Weaving) was first created during the Shaoxing era of the Southern Song dynasty (12th century) by Lou Shu, a magistrate of Yuqian County. It comprised 21 Tilling Scenes and 24 Weaving Scenes, combining poetry and illustrations to systematically document agricultural and sericultural techniques. Highly praised by Emperor Gaozong, the original paintings have been lost, but their content survives through later copies—such as the Yuan-dynasty version by Cheng Qi (now housed in the Freer Gallery of Art, USA), which faithfully preserves the Southern Song style.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Gengzhi Tu became widely popular. In 1696, the Kangxi Emperor commissioned Jiao Bingzhen to produce the Imperially Commissioned Gengzhi Tu, incorporating Western perspective techniques and engraved by Zhu Gui for mass printing. Variants also emerged under the Yongzheng and Qianlong emperors. More than artistic masterpieces, these works served as didactic tools for rulers to promote farming, sericulture, and technological knowledge, embodying significant historical, cultural, and artistic value.
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scene description by <a href="https://tutuhaoyi.com/about-us/rachel-ma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rachel Ma</a>

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