Chapter 207 Writing and Establishing Words

The spring sun was warm, and the glass curtain wall was tinged with a light gold.

The snowflakes gradually melted, leaving long trails of water on the runway. Planes soared into the sky, their thunderous roar filling the air.

They went there carrying lots of bags, but came back with even more. They filled the trunks of two SUVs and piled two more layers on the back seat of the Mercedes.

Zhao Da drove the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Zhao Er drove the Mercedes-Benz, and the family of four got into the first car.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Wang Qizhi looked left and right: "I don't see any punctures?"

Shan Wangshu glared at him.

Given Lin Sicheng's personality, he wouldn't have kept them there until they came back. The car would probably be fixed before the New Year was even over.

But that wasn't what Wang Qizhi asked. What he was asking was that Lin Sicheng had poked a hole in the car window with a screwdriver.

It's not made of paper, is it?

Not wanting to boast in front of the younger generation, Wang Qizhi changed the subject: "Boheng, what has your master been busy with these past few days?"

"Regarding the training and summary: There were two days of public training, one day of internal training, followed by two days of writing papers, and then Professor Shang, Teaching Assistant Li, and I compiled the data on Yaozhou porcelain..."

Wang Qizhi looked suspicious: "Didn't you do anything else?"

"I don't think so?" Zhao Da recalled for a moment, "Oh right, my second uncle came, and my master had a drink with him!"

Hmm, this doesn't seem right.

I deliberately came back a week late, so my brother-in-law and Lin Sicheng didn't get to meet and didn't spark any romance.

Subconsciously, he turned around and met Shan Wangshu's gaze.

The couple were exactly the same: surprised and suspicious, astonished and puzzled.

Ye Anning pretended not to hear and remained silent with her head down.

The two must not have met, otherwise Zhao Da would have known, and Wang Qizhi didn't ask again.

We chatted for about an hour before the car entered the school.

Most of the things he brought were for giving away, and he was too lazy to carry them upstairs, so Wang Qizhi asked Zhao Da to drive the car to the back gate of the center and put it in the warehouse.

As soon as he got off the bus, he paused for a moment: students were coming and going from time to time, and some of them looked vaguely familiar, as if they were all graduate students from his own college.

Upon seeing Wang Qizhi, he instinctively stopped, bowed, and greeted him.

Huh, why are you suddenly so polite?

Wang Qizhi stopped the two boys: "I remember you're third-year graduate students in the archaeology department, right? What are you doing here?"

The two students shrugged: "Professor Wang, Professor Lin is offering a training course, and our mentor recommended that we give it a try!"

Wang Qizhi paused for a moment: He knew about the center's plan to expand training; it was he and Shang Yan who had decided on it. The goal was to recruit a few students from the graduating class for early training and targeted instruction.

It's just training; there's no job requirement, so there's no salary or subsidies. It's basically a take-it-or-leave-it program. Therefore, Wang Qizhi assumed that not many people would sign up.

Judging from the situation, in just two or three minutes, seven or eight people came in and went out.

The key question is whether their supervisor recommended them.

No... Lin Sicheng needs the instructors to pull strings to get him into a training program?

Feeling that something was amiss, Wang Qizhi asked Zhao Da to have someone move things, and rushed into the exhibition hall.

The same few people were there: two interns temporarily acted as receptionists, but they didn't even notice anyone coming in. They were whispering to each other across the small bar.

Upon closer inspection, the two men were holding pens; one was biting the pen barrel, and the other was clenching his back teeth. Their expressions were identical: furrowed brows and contorted faces, looking as melancholy as could be.

Having taught for almost ten years, I can tell at a glance that this person has encountered a difficult problem they can't solve.

Upon closer inspection, the two neatly arranged headlines are:

Research on the restoration of the carving technique of Yaozhou porcelain in the seamless restoration of ancient ceramics.

The living inheritance path of Yaozhou porcelain restoration techniques from the perspective of intangible cultural heritage.

Wow, that's impressive! After just one year, you've suddenly become more ambitious?

It seems that Lin Sicheng's training program was quite successful.

Wang Qizhi didn't make a sound and deliberately walked very quietly. The two girls didn't notice him until they were quite a distance away.

Just as he was about to greet him, Wang Qizhi waved his hand and said, "Write yours!"

As they were talking, they entered the office.

Zhao Xiuneng was sitting on the sofa, with a piece of paper in one hand and a pen in the other, writing something. Upon seeing Wang Qizhi, he quickly stood up.

Just as he was about to exchange pleasantries, Wang Qizhi saw several printed sheets of paper on the coffee table and was immediately stunned: Research on the porcelain-making techniques and development of Yaozhou kiln.

No... Mr. Zhao, what are you trying to do?

Outside interns write papers, so you write papers too?

No, this is more than just a paper... this is going to be published as a book!

As you can tell from the title, this project will start from the origin of Yaozhou porcelain and trace the evolution of Yaozhou kiln technology along the dynastic lines from the Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, to the late Qing and Republican periods.

It should encompass at least six dynasties and over a thousand years, and include analysis of museum and institution collections, firing techniques, the effects of coating and refraction, the connections between related porcelain kilns at home and abroad, as well as decorative techniques, cultural dissemination, and academic history.

This is not only a review, but also a treatise. If it is explained clearly, the number of papers could reach hundreds.

It's no exaggeration to say that, let alone President Zhao, just look at this title. If you called Lin Changqing and Shang Yan over and asked them if they would dare to even consider this idea.

Guess again, what is Mr. Zhao's educational level? He didn't graduate from elementary school.

The so-called landlords, rich peasants, counter-revolutionaries, and bad elements were referring to his father and grandfather. How could he go to school?

Still stunned, Zhao Xiuneng looked distressed, his brows furrowed even deeper than the two interns in the exhibition hall: "Professor Wang, you know I haven't been to school much, but Junior Brother Lin insisted I memorize this?"

What, carry it?

Was it written by Lin Sicheng?

Upon closer inspection: apart from the title, the rest is all an outline, not a thesis, and contains no substantial content.

That's more like it.

He took a deep breath, then asked with some suspicion, "Why did Lin Sicheng ask you to memorize this?"

"Junior Brother Lin said that when the book is printed, he'll put my name on the back!"

What?

Does this mean Lin Sicheng is going to publish a book?

Lin Sicheng, you're amazing! I've only been gone for half a month, and you're already planning to launch a satellite?

"Mr. Zhao, where is he?"

"On the third floor!"

"Okay, Mr. Zhao, you go first!"

Ignoring the pitiful Zhao Xiuneng, Wang Qizhi rushed upstairs.

He was stunned again as soon as he stepped out of the stairwell on the third floor.

The large conference room was nearly half full. Eight or nine students surrounded the podium, their expressions respectful.

Wang Qizhi could not see Lin Sicheng, but he could hear his voice.

"Senior brother, this article of yours is not good: the characteristics of Chai kiln porcelain in Yaozhou celadon of the Five Dynasties period... I did talk about it the other day, that Yaozhou celadon and Chai kiln celadon have similarities, but only because some of the porcelain-making techniques originated from Yue kiln... You can't just confuse the two based on 'possibility'..."

Believe it or not, just one look at the title and the journal will reject it... Of course, it should be fine as a graduate thesis..."

"Senior, this won't work either: 'Comparative Study of the Dating Characteristics of Song Dynasty Yaozhou Kiln Celadon.' You're studying conservation and restoration, but you're working on authentication and dating. Your advisor won't approve it. However, you could try submitting it to relevant journals..."

"Hey, this is good: A Study of Five-Legged Incense Burners from the Yaozhou Kiln in the Song Dynasty... Senior brother, you could expand the lid a bit: for example, a tripod-shaped incense burner, a floral-shaped incense burner, a perforated multi-layered incense burner... These are all classic shapes among Yaozhou incense burners from the Song Dynasty..."

Or how about this: broaden the scope of the research slightly: a study of incense burners from the Yaozhou kiln in the Song Dynasty… with a bit more detailed data and indexes. As a master's thesis, it should be perfectly fine…”

Lin Sicheng could read ten lines at a glance, but each one was incisive and to the point. He could quickly scan the paper and point out the problems in it.

Whether the graduate students listened or were convinced is still unknown, but Li Zhen and Shang Yan, who were sitting next to them, were already completely convinced.

And then there's Lin Changqing. Whenever Lin Sicheng talks a bit more or says something special, he'll call the students over and have Shang Yan review it again.

After reading each paper, the two looked at each other, their pupils revealing a strange expression: the level of guidance for these papers seemed to be no worse than theirs.

The key is that it's incredibly fast. It can guide a paper in just three to five minutes, and even provide revision suggestions. Have you ever seen that?

Just as they were filled with doubt and surprise, their vision suddenly went dark, and the two subconsciously looked up.

"Oh, Professor Wang..."

Wang Qizhi nodded hurriedly, pressed the two down, and then glanced at them: Isn't this the one Lin Sicheng just mentioned, the one about the Yaozhou kiln incense burner from the Song Dynasty?

After a quick scan, Wang Qizhi nodded to himself: It's indeed quite good, with a slightly broader scope, more than enough for a master's thesis.

Turning to the second page, in the blank space at the end of the paper, Lin Sicheng wrote a few lines:

Vessel types: Five-legged incense burner, tripod incense burner, floral incense burner, perforated multi-layered incense burner, bean-shaped incense burner...

Thesis areas: decoration, patterns, glazes...

Key features and characteristics: Song Dynasty aesthetics and artistic connotations...

Wang Qizhi was taken aback: No wonder there were so many students in the conference room?

These three lines, from the argument to the direction and the key points, are both incisive and comprehensive.

To give an analogy: when a chef teaches his apprentice how to cook, he not only prepares everything, but also all the seasonings. He even clearly indicates which ingredient to add first, the heat level, and how many times to stir-fry.

If you still can't cook, then you're a pig!

Wang Qizhi turned his head sharply.

However, it was all in vain. Lin Sicheng was surrounded by students and could not be seen at all.

After guiding the student through one lesson, the student bowed deeply and left with a grateful expression. Immediately, another student stood up and gathered around the podium.

People left and came, and Li Zhen didn't even have time to catch her breath while writing a number with her pen.

Wang Qizhi looked around for a while: "Professor Lin, Professor Shang, it can't be that all the graduate students in the college have come?"

How many graduate students are there?

Shang Yan sighed: "There are also undergraduates who are about to graduate!"

Wang Qizhi looked bewildered: "What happened?"

"On Monday and Tuesday, Lin Sicheng gave two days of public training. He may have talked a lot. Geng Yuan and Jing Yuan said that they should let Lin Sicheng organize his notes and see if he could publish a comprehensive review related to Yaozhou Kiln."

"Lin Sicheng said he didn't have time, so Dean Geng and Dean Jing said: It's okay, they'll provide the direction and arguments, and the students can write the papers. Use what's useful, and if not, they can supplement it with some materials... And since the day before yesterday, this is what's happened here..."

No... what is the concept of a review... making students serve as pawns for Lin Sicheng?

If it were just a regular training session, the institute leaders would never make such a hasty decision. So, most likely, it was something Lin Sicheng said at the training meeting.

Wang Qizhi pondered for a moment, and was about to ask when Lin Sicheng's voice came again: "Who wrote this? A brief discussion on the glaze formulation of celadon ware from the Song Dynasty Yaozhou kiln... This is a lost and then restored technique. There are no ancient documents or data to index it. The formula from Tongchuan has never been made public. How can you offer a brief discussion?"

"What, I know? You want to ask me for advice? Young man, do you want me to see what a courtroom looks like, or do you want me to taste what boiled cabbage tastes like? Come on, the door's over there..."

"And this article: 'Solution to the Expansion Difference of Yaozhou Kiln Inverted Flow Pots from the Five Dynasties Period'... Seriously, what you wrote under the title is utter nonsense. You might as well just write one line: 'Lin Sicheng, write me a paper, I want to publish it in an SCI journal...'"

"What? Your advisor assigned this? Bullshit! If your advisor made you write this, I'll cut my head off... Li Zhen, remember these two names. If they ever dare to come to the center again, kick them out..."

At first, Wang Qizhi was puzzled: Given Lin Sicheng's personality, how could he get angry?

Upon closer listening, his anger flared up: What kind of rubbish are these two? Lin Sicheng isn't your father.

The expansion difference of the reverse-flow kettle... If he knew how to do it, why would you two have a chance to do it if he himself couldn't?

Then he paused, stunned: Wait, something doesn't seem right?

If Lin Sicheng hadn't mentioned it at the training session, how would these two graduate students have known about the celadon glaze mixing and the expansion of the reverse-flow teapot?

Startled, he stared intently at Shang Yan and Lin Changqing.

The two remained calm, and then Shang Yan pointed to the side.

Wang Qizhi turned around abruptly, and his pupils contracted:

In the display case next to it, there were seven or eight pieces of porcelain, their green color delicate and smooth, gleaming brightly.

It's definitely a fake, but the problem is, isn't the plate and the pot in the middle just celadon glaze and a reverse-flow pot?

Wang Qizhi knew about the celadon glaze, as did Shang Yan and Lin Changqing, plus Zhao Xiuneng.

But Lin Sicheng had never even mentioned a reverse-flow kettle...

Wang Qizhi's eyes widened: "Where did this come from? Did Lin Sicheng forge it?"

“Yes, he, Li Zhen, and Xiao Yuzhu, the three of them used it for a whole day!” Shang Yan sighed sadly. “At first, he only said he was going to try it out, so Professor Lin and I didn’t pay much attention… but the next day, he brought the pot out…”

"According to him, he used the 'inverted three-firing method,' which is slightly more complicated than the 'multiple firings' used in the restoration of blue and white porcelain or the 'multiple firings at multiple points' used in the restoration of cloisonné enamel..."

Isn't that obvious?

In ceramics, the two tubes in the middle of the pouring pot have a specific term: irregular shape.

Not to mention the details, it must also be hollow. Whether it is the first firing or the second firing, the fire can only heat the outside, and the inside and outside will inevitably be heated unevenly, which will lead to deformation and cracking.

Therefore, it is not only necessary to solve the expansion difference between the conduit and the vessel body, but also to solve the expansion difference between the outside and inside of the conduit.

If it were so easy to solve, why bother several institutions for over twenty years?

Seriously, if it weren't for so many students surrounding him, Wang Qizhi would have already picked Lin Sicheng up: "Just 'tried it out,' and he succeeded?"

On the sixth day of the lunar new year, Lin Sicheng called him to ask when he would be back, and Wang Qizhi said it was the tenth day.

Lin Sicheng mentioned the training, and said he would try to imitate a few pieces of Yaozhou porcelain to use as specimens during the training.

At the time, Wang Qizhi was preoccupied with the thought that his brother-in-law had gone to Xi'an and might have done something wrong, so he didn't think much of it. Therefore, he assumed that Lin Sicheng was only imitating ordinary shapes, at most imitating celadon glaze, or even tea dust glaze.

Little did anyone know, he ended up with a reverse-flow kettle?

No, why don't you say it?

Knowing that it's a replica of a reverse-flow teapot, why would I care about my brother-in-law?

Wang Qizhi regretted it more and more. He stared at the backflow kettle in the cabinet, grinning and twisting his face as if he had a toothache.

"Then, Lin Sicheng casually brought that pot to the training meeting? And then, he just started talking about it?"

Shang Yan nodded, then sighed: "It's not exactly an understatement: the people from Tongchuan came chasing after us as soon as we started talking?"

What is that?

Wang Qizhi was suddenly stunned: "They didn't fight?"

"How could that be? Mayor Wang is leading the team, and there are so many other leaders, professors, and students along with them?"

"Then what?"

"Nothing more? Lin Sicheng spoke normally, only scratching the surface of the celadon glaze and the reverse-flowing pot, and then talked about the evolution of Yaozhou porcelain craftsmanship in various dynasties, focusing on the craftsmanship characteristics and restoration points of the mainstream vessel shapes in each dynasty..."

"Dean Jing felt that his presentation was very comprehensive, and after discussing it with Dean Geng, they both suggested that he organize it and see if he could publish a review book..."

No, that's not what I'm asking about.

No, that's a question that really needs to be asked... The so-called "publishing books and establishing a reputation" or "writing a lot of papers" only makes one a professor at best. Only by forming a systematic knowledge system can one be called a scholar.

Wang Qizhi felt that it was a bit too early for Lin Sicheng, and there was no need to rush.

He was surprised by the celadon glaze and the reverse-flow pot.

If the former is the home of the Tongchuan Porcelain Research Institute and several large ceramic factories, then the latter is the foundation upon which these factories depend for their survival.

One is a means of livelihood, the other is a source of spiritual sustenance. Lin Sicheng, on the other hand, said it in front of so many people, which was like snapping everything in two.

Believe it or not, in a few days, once word gets out, Lin Sicheng's phone will be bombarded with calls.

This is because Yaozhou during the Five Dynasties period was not the only place that produced reverse-flow pots.

There were also the Cizhou kilns of the Jin Dynasty, and the Ding kilns of the Yuan Dynasty, as well as Jingdezhen. Similarly, the techniques were lost…

What's even stranger is that people from Tongchuan chased him all the way to Xijing and even witnessed it firsthand, yet Lin Sicheng was still sitting there calmly guiding students in their theses.

Wang Qizhi became increasingly uneasy: "Wait... didn't Wang Zeyu and the others cause any trouble for Lin Sicheng?"

"It wouldn't be to cause trouble, but we did say we wanted to talk. But for some reason, I went home that night, and no one has asked me about it or called me since!"

Lin Changqing looked suspicious. "Lin Sicheng also said that these people are quite strange!"

What's so strange about it?

If his brother-in-law hadn't stopped him, would Wang Qizhi have changed his surname to Lin?

Lin Sicheng is amazing!

Without a word, the brother-in-law took care of the matter, without Lin Sicheng even knowing it.

what does that mean?

This means that even if the brother-in-law is not 100% satisfied, he is at least 90% satisfied.

Suddenly, Wang Qizhi couldn't sit still any longer.

He simply said he had just returned, and without even going inside, he quietly went downstairs.

As soon as he left the center, Wang Qizhi dialed Ye Xing'an's number.

After rambling on and on, Wang Qizhi tentatively asked, "Brother-in-law, how about a drink tonight?"

He paused slightly on the phone: "Okay, let's have a drink!"

After hanging up the phone, Wang Qizhi chuckled: Just as I expected...