Chapter 287 Guardian Declaration

A plate, a bowl

The main image features a red flower surrounded by green leaves, with vibrant colors and a strong contrast.

However, the body is relatively thick and heavy, the body color is grayish, and the glaze color is yellowish.

Lü Chenglong stated unequivocally: "Red and green glaze from Bayi Kiln in Changzhi, Shanxi, from the Jin Dynasty!"

Lin Sicheng really wanted to give a thumbs up: He truly deserves to be called an authoritative expert.

The decorative features of the two porcelain pieces are quite distinct, so it's not surprising that they can be identified as red and green enamel porcelain.

The clay body is rough, the shape is heavy, and the decoration is monotonous. Based on the soil seeping into the glaze and the signs of oxidation on the surface, it is not difficult to infer that it was fired during the Jin Dynasty.

The difficulty lies in determining the production area.

Red and green polychrome porcelain originated in the Cizhou kiln (Hebei) during the Northern Song Dynasty, and later spread to Henan and Shanxi, with many kilns producing it. Among them, the most famous were the Guantai kiln and Pengcheng kiln in Cizhou, followed by the Duandian kiln in Henan.

In comparison, the Bayi Kiln in Changzhi is little known and is almost entirely absent from historical records. Furthermore, although both are located in Shanxi, the distance from Bayi in Changzhi to Yuncheng is farther than that from Duandian in Henan to Yuncheng.

Logically speaking, the red and green lottery tickets appearing in Yuncheng most likely come from Henan.

Director Lü was so certain because of the difference in the body and glaze of the two kilns: the Bayi kiln had a grayish-white body and a peach-red glaze, while the Duandian kiln had a grayish-yellow body and a jujube-red glaze.

However, the differences are extremely subtle, and these two pieces are so severely eroded by soil that without keen eyesight and sufficient experience, one simply cannot discern the difference.

Without even handling it, just glancing at it, Lü Chenglong shook his head: "The stuff is so-so!"

Indeed, it is not very good. Even disregarding the fact that it was just unearthed, the historical influence of Bayi Kiln is not as great as that of Huozhou Kiln.

Lin Sicheng also shook his head.

The fat shopkeeper was dumbfounded: last time, a few pieces of broken porcelain could sell for several thousand, but this time he brought two genuine items, and this person didn't like them?

He handed it forward again: "Boss Lin, take another look!"

Lin Sicheng dodged for a moment, then waved his hand: "Boss, we don't deal in raw, unprocessed goods!"

If you don't collect authentic antiques, what's the point of collecting antiques or visiting antique markets?

Thinking it over, the fat boss pulled off the bed sheet: "Boss Lin, take another look at this?"

Lin Sicheng glanced at it twice: The fat boss is like Wang Xiaoer celebrating the New Year, getting worse every year.

Last time I came, at least there were some antique porcelain shards and a few pieces of Republic-era blue and white porcelain. This time, it's all fake antiques.

Lin Sicheng sighed: "You went to Henan to buy goods?"

Huh?

The chubby boss's heart skipped a beat: This guy has some discernment, huh?

Believe it or not, the goods really did come from Henan.

He was still unconvinced: Regardless of whether he'd gotten that porcelain shard last time based on his eyesight, this guy was genuinely generous. Even putting that aside, he always drove a Mercedes, so he was definitely not short of money.

He casually covered the bed with the sheet, rolled his eyes, and said, "I have the real thing, and it's definitely old enough, but the price will definitely be a bit high."

Lin Sicheng waved his hand: "I'm not watching anymore, we'll talk about it next time!"

When he and Ma Chenglong came here, they didn't intend to browse any street stalls; they simply wanted to visit the world's largest Guan Sheng Temple.

I just happened to pass by this stall and mentioned it casually.

Furthermore, given the fat boss's cunning and deceitful nature, watching him is a waste of time.

The two stood up, and just as they took a step, the fat boss reached out and stopped them: "Boss Lin, if you have something really good, it's not far, just around the corner."

The portly shopkeeper spoke and gestured, "And it's definitely a genuine product, a kiln-fired porcelain, with a glaze as colorful as a seven-colored gemstone!"

The two paused for a moment: Seven-colored kiln-fired porcelain?

Jun porcelain: one color goes into the kiln, but a myriad of colors come out.

Is it a Jian ware tea bowl with naturally unique colors, formed from the essence of fire?

If it's one of these two types, then it's definitely Song Dynasty porcelain; there are very few pieces in the Palace Museum.

Lin Sicheng looked in the direction the fat shopkeeper was pointing: it was indeed not far, just inside the antique market.

"It can't be the boss's business, so how do you make money?"

The chubby shop owner chuckled: "If the business goes through as a middleman, the shop owner should at least give me some compensation for my trouble!"

Lin Sicheng nodded: "Director Lü, go and take a look!"

"Can!"

The portly boss beamed and led the way for the two.

After passing through the corridor and turning a corner, the three entered a shop.

A plaque hangs at the entrance: Yuanguxuan. There are no customers in the shop. A tall, thin middle-aged man sits in a chair, fiddling with his phone.

Hearing the noise, he instinctively stood up.

The portly boss winked and then introduced, "Mr. Hu, these two are experts. They brought you here to get some medicine."

The shop owner paused for a moment, then his eyes lit up: "Please come in, please come in!"

Lin Sicheng and Lü Chenglong sighed inwardly.

The portly boss spoke in a dialect, fast and convoluted, so they assumed the two hadn't understood him. But even speaking the local dialect of southern Shanxi, Lin Sicheng could communicate without any problems with a Chaozhou Hakka.

In the antique trade, "taking medicine" refers to paying tuition. The fat man was reminding the shop owner: these two are novices, but they're very rich, so feel free to cut their prices.

The shop owner wanted to make tea, but Lin Sicheng waved his hand and said bluntly, "No tea, and don't bring any medicine either. If it's any kind of random stuff, dud, today's plaything, new to look at, judge by appearances, or landmine, then don't bring it out now!"

Lu Chenglong looked at Lin Sicheng with a strange expression: These are all jargon, yet Lin Sicheng knows them all by heart.

The portly boss and the shop owner were both stunned, their expressions indescribably awkward.

You son of a bitch, didn't you say you were a novice? You speak slits better than I do.

The fat boss, with his eyebrows drooping and eyes downcast, didn't dare to utter another word.

But whether a business deal can be made depends on trying.

The two whispered a few words, and the shop owner went into the back room. Then there was a commotion, like someone opening a safe.

Lin Sicheng and Lü Chenglong perked up: It seems there really is something good?

A moment later, the shop owner brought out two boxes and carefully placed them on the table.

Upon opening the box, the two glanced at it, paused in surprise, and then sighed in unison.

This isn't kiln-transformed porcelain at all; it's clearly painted porcelain. At most, it's overglaze decoration: the base is fired first, some are fired with white glaze, and some with monochrome glaze, and then the colors are painted on top of the glaze before being fired again.

For example, these two pieces are painted on yellow-glazed and blue-glazed bodies.

No matter how vibrant the colors, how strong the contrast, or how unique the composition, it has absolutely nothing to do with kiln-fired porcelain.

Looking at these three pieces, the craftsmanship is quite good, the shapes are unique, and the glazes are bright, but they are not products made in China.

First, the shape: for example, the first piece, if you call it a jar, the mouth is too small. If you call it a zun, the waist is too thick, and the rim is very shallow.

Secondly, the patterns: From the Han Dynasty to the Republic of China, China has never seen such dazzling, miscellaneous, and meaningless porcelain patterns.

Thirdly, there is the glaze process, which is a typical ultra-high temperature porcelain. Neither firewood nor coal can reach such a high temperature, unless it is an oil kiln or a gas kiln (natural gas).

Let's look at the patina: late Qing Dynasty and Republic of China period.

Suddenly, the two of them had a general idea. Lü Chenglong examined it closely and said, "It's a Japanese product from the Meiji Restoration period (1868-1912)."

"Yes!" Lin Sicheng immediately chimed in, "Kutani ware!"

The fat boss and the shop owner were stunned, both suspicious and shocked.

The shop owner had acquired the items from the countryside, but he didn't know their origin. He just thought they were nice and quite old, probably dating back to the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty.

After returning, I consulted several colleagues, but they were all unsure. So I took it to the provincial capital and asked two experts to take a look.

Everyone says the craftsmanship is excellent, the design is quite elaborate, and it dates back to the late Qing Dynasty. They also say that judging from the glaze and porcelain body, it couldn't have been produced by a folk kiln; it's most likely an official kiln piece.

But they wouldn't accept it when asked, because the payment details at the bottom look like this:

It has neither borders nor frames; it is neither regular script nor seal script, but running script.

Let alone official kilns, even from the Song Dynasty when base marks first appeared to the Republic of China period, not even private kilns had this kind of mark.

But the items were indeed quite good. The shop owner took them back, thinking he might get lucky and make a fortune.

You haven't made any money, but someone has already seen through your scheme?

If what they said is wrong: the three items are still in the box, they haven't been taken out yet, and they are all facing down, how did they know that the bottom mark contains the two characters "九谷" (Jiugu)?

The key point is that there were more than just these three items collected together; there were three more items, all with Japanese writing on them.

But to be fair: I am a perfectly good late Qing Dynasty imperial porcelain, but in your mouths, I've become some kind of Japanese porcelain.

The shop owner was skeptical: "But the bottom mark is in Chinese characters?"

“Of course it has to be Chinese characters. If the inscription on the bottom is in Chinese characters, these three pieces are not even worth a clay pot.” Lin Sicheng smiled. “Keep an eye on them. If an auction house is collecting them, you can give it a try. These three pieces should be worth three or four thousand.”

The shop owner nearly choked on his own blood: he had spent six thousand just to collect them.

"You don't want it?"

"don't want!"

The shop owner paused for a moment: Regardless of whether the young man was right or wrong, his attitude clearly showed that he had no interest whatsoever.

If something catches your eye, shouldn't you take it out of the box and examine it closely?

He sighed inwardly and sealed the box: "There are a few more items. Would you two like to take a look?"

"Is it also porcelain?"

"No, ancient books!" The shopkeeper paused for a moment, "They're all in Japanese!"

Japanese ancient books?

Subconsciously, Lin Sicheng recalled the two copies of "Essentials of Governance from Various Books" that he had encountered in Hangzhou.

Seeing him nod, the boss took the box into the inner room, and a little while later came out with three more books.

Lin Sicheng glanced at it: a music score?

The book is a thread-bound woodblock print, with slightly yellowed pages and occasional oil stains. However, the printing quality is good, the characters are clear, and the layout is neat, suggesting it was published in the early Showa period (before 1945).

The cover features the following Chinese characters: Crane and Tortoise, Bridge Benkei, Yoshino Tenjin, Great Buddha Offering, Tsuchigumo.

These are all traditional Japanese Kabuki, originating from folk tales from the Heian period (794) to the Edo period (1600). The crane, tortoise, and Buddha were offered as tributes and were essential performances for imperial celebrations.

The contents are recorded in considerable detail, and there is even a stamp on the page. However, some parts are blurry and difficult to read clearly, and besides, it's just a Showa-era woodblock print, which is common throughout Japan.

Lin Sicheng casually flipped through the book, put it aside, and picked up the second one.

This one has no words on the cover, looks older, and the paper is also older.

Lin Sicheng paused for a moment after opening the cover.

It is also sheet music, and it is a bound volume.

Firstly, the Wei family musical score is entirely written in Chinese characters.

During the Chongzhen era at the end of the Ming Dynasty, when Nanjing fell, Wei Zhiyan, the Director of Ceremonies (in charge of music and rites) of the Ministry of Rites, fled back to his hometown in Fujian, and then his entire clan fled to Japan.

Before leaving, he took all the books on rites and music theory that he could carry, along with musical instruments. Among them were 232 ancient-style songs, including those from the Book of Songs, Han Dynasty folk songs, and Tang and Song Dynasty poems, which can be categorized into three types: court banquet music, sacrificial music, and ancient traditional poetry music.

From then on, Ming Dynasty court music was introduced to Japan. Based on this, the Japanese Imperial Palace rebuilt court music and dance, which is known as "Edo Gagaku". Therefore, Wei Zhiyan is called the "Father of Ming Music" by the Japanese.

Due to the ravages of war, Chinese court music was lost. It wasn't until the Kangxi era that some of it was revived from religious music.

Later, in the late Republican era, the "Wei Family Music Score" was introduced to China from Japan. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, relevant departments began to study it.

However, due to limited resources, not much manpower and material resources were invested at the time, and it was not until after 2000 that it gradually gained attention.

This is why many people in China believe that Japanese court music is more beautiful than Chinese palace music, and even regard some of the interludes and background music as divine songs. For example, "Dawn of Heroes", "Thoughts on the Forbidden City", "Castle in the Sky", "Love Across Time", and so on.

Don't feel inferior; the root of the problem lies here. In fact, many songs considered masterpieces are directly adapted from pieces in the "Wei Family Music Score".

Therefore, this book is not very common. Lin Sicheng was surprised because it was stamped with a seal: Fushimi-no-miya.

This is a hereditary princely family formed from a branch of the imperial family in Japanese history. It originated in the early Muromachi period of the 14th century and was founded by Prince Eihito, son of Emperor Sukō, with the aim of providing an heir if the emperor's line died out.

The family members inherited the title of prince, which became an important guarantee for the continuation of the Northern Court's imperial line after the unification of the Northern and Southern Courts. Emperor Gohanen (1419-1470), who lived in the late Muromachi period, came from this family.

Judging from the paper, it is Chiyo paper from the late Edo period (around 1800). Judging from the ink, it is also Gosaku ink from the Edo period, indicating that this musical score was a copy from the Fushimi family collection during the Edo period.

It's not exactly a unique copy, but it's still a rare book. If it were taken to Japan, it would probably fetch two or three hundred thousand yuan.

After pondering for a while, Lin Sicheng continued flipping through the pages. When he reached the last volume of the bound book, he paused for a moment.

"Yue Dian Yue"?

Also known as Etsutendo, this is more famous and is the oldest existing court music in Japan. It originated from the court music and dance of the Tang Dynasty, which was introduced from China during the reign of Emperor Monmu (701 AD), and was formed after being integrated into the Japanese culture.

It declined for a time, but was revived during the reign of Emperor Go-Yōzei through the Tennoji Temple, Kōfukuji Temple, and the Kyoto Sanpōrakusho (Three Palaces of Music). The version used for the revival was still the genealogy book that the Japanese emperor's envoy obtained from China during the reign of Emperor Wu of Tang Dynasty.

Japan has preserved it to this day, but China lost it after the Northern Song Dynasty. It wasn't until the 1990s that some of the scores were found in the Dunhuang Mogao Caves, including the famous "Qin King's Battle Music".

Similarly, this book also bears the seal of Fushimi-no-miya, which means it is worth another 200,000.

Seeing Lin Sicheng looking at him so intently, Lü Chenglong asked with curiosity, "Have you studied Japanese?"

"I've learned a little bit!" Lin Sicheng nodded. "It's not difficult to learn!"

Lu Chenglong paused for a moment, unsure of what to say.

Even if it's not difficult to learn, it's still a foreign language.

But he didn't say anything, he just looked at it curiously for a few moments.

After confirming that everything was correct, Lin Sicheng picked up the third book, but as soon as he held it in his hand, his pupils contracted slightly.

This one is older, the paper is brittle, and the color is no longer yellowish, but grayish.

The handwriting is severely blurred, and the ink is already showing signs of fading.

The key point is that each page is stamped with a seal, similar to a steel stamp: "Guardian of the Clouds!"

This is a protective token issued to the imperial family during the mid-Heian period of Japan (920 AD).