Wen was born in Changzhou (present day Wuxian of Jiangsu province).

[1] His style name was 'Du Cheng' (德承) and his pseudonyms were 'Wu Feng' (五峰), 'Bao Sheng' (葆生), and 'She Sheng Lao Nong' (摄山老农).

[4][5] He belonged to the Wu School which painted in the style of the Yuan dynasty.

[6] The style of painting Boren used was known as Literati painting or ink wash.[3] He worked out of the studio of his uncle Wen Zhengming; studying the works of the old masters.

[7] One of his paintings titled "River Landscape with Towering Mountains" is housed at the Seattle Art Museum and it is a hanging scroll Ink and color on paper.