Chapter 235 Opportunity
Four case files and several inkstones were neatly arranged on the coffee table.
The cover of the file folder was stamped with the red seals of "YC City Industrial Bureau", "Culture Bureau" and "Archives".
Tan Wu sat opposite him, looking apologetic: "The day before yesterday, Director Chen rushed back to the city overnight, and yesterday he personally oversaw the archives department to fax the documents to the county. At the same time, Jiang County also reissued a copy."
From yesterday afternoon to this morning, I had more than a dozen people from the two secretarial departments check it repeatedly, and they even made sure the punctuation was correct..."
Setting down the one labeled "Chengni Inkstone," Tan Wu pointed to the other three:
"This was also sent by the Municipal Bureau of Culture under the personal supervision of Director Chen: Jishan mother-of-pearl inlay, gold and silver filigree, and Jiangzhou rhinoceros horn carving are all lost crafts that the city is preparing to apply for national intangible cultural heritage status for restoration."
However, one point needs attention: it's only been included in the provincial directory, and several research institutes are still in the trial and adjustment phase. The information from the Municipal Bureau of Culture is not very complete, and the data may not be very accurate; I don't know if Professor Lin will find it useful.
How could it not be needed?
Even if it's not complete.
“These are all very valuable for research!” Lin Sicheng nodded. “Thank you, Secretary-General Tan!”
"Teacher Lin, you're too kind!" Tan Wu sighed. "Please forgive me for what happened the day before yesterday!"
Lin Sicheng didn't care at all: "It's only human nature!"
It's impossible to say we had no objections, because everything was agreed upon beforehand: an equal exchange, each getting what they needed.
In the end, they tried to fool him with incomplete information. Anyone else, especially someone who hadn't systematically studied the craftsmanship of Chengni inkstones, would have fallen for it.
But from another perspective: at least this time it wasn't the leadership's tacit approval, but rather the subordinates acting on their own initiative.
Moreover, from the very beginning, the attitude of the local leaders was much more sincere than that of Yaozhou: it's not impossible, but we have to wait, and it won't be too long, at most three months.
In the end, problems did arise, but everyone makes mistakes; the key is whether or not they are rectified in a timely manner.
To be honest, even Lin Sicheng didn't expect the locals to be so decisive: they originally only planned to ask for one serving, but because of this incident, they sent three more servings all at once.
So, is there anything else that cannot be forgiven?
In return for the favor, Lin Sicheng didn't mince words. He said that he had already arranged to meet with Professor Wang and Director Tian that afternoon, and that the survey could resume at the latest next week.
The atmosphere was very pleasant, and the two chatted and laughed.
After chatting for a while, Lin Sicheng politely saw Tan Wu off and then asked Fang Jin to announce a meeting.
In less than five minutes, everyone had arrived: Wang Qizhi, Huang Zhifeng, Zhao Xiuneng, Tian Jie, Gao Zhangyi, and Shang Yan.
Several people were gathered around the coffee table.
"I thought the box Secretary Tan was carrying contained money?" Zhao Xiuneng joked. "With so many documents brought this time, surely you've given us everything?"
"Complete, and not just any ordinary complete!" Lin Sicheng nodded vigorously, then pointed to the four files, "Besides the Chengni inkstone, there are also technical data on the craftsmanship of Jishan mother-of-pearl inlay, gold and silver filigree, and Jiangzhou lacquerware."
Wang Qizhi and Zhao Xiuneng were stunned for a moment: Huh?
Buy one get three free?
They were in charge of external liaison, and they visited every municipal department and relevant unit. So they were very clear about the importance the local government attached to these technologies.
But it's not surprising, since they are all lost crafts that have been listed in the provincial intangible cultural heritage directory and are preparing to apply for national intangible cultural heritage status. Who wouldn't pay attention to them?
Put yourself in their shoes: if an external organization contacted Northwest University wanting to learn Lin Sicheng's porcelain restoration techniques, do you think Northwest University would agree?
Go stay where it's cool...
"Wait... how did the local attitude change so quickly?"
Zhao Xiuneng looked at Lin Sicheng with surprise, "Why aren't they afraid of their technology being leaked now?"
It's no wonder he couldn't understand; the local attitude had changed too quickly, a complete 180-degree turn. Before, they treated a single Chengni inkstone like it was their life. Now, because of a misunderstanding, they'd sent them all over?
Just like these technologies are all free?
"Because apart from Chengni inkstone, the information on these three crafts is not very complete, and even if someone wants to replicate them, it will take time to study them."
Lin Sicheng smiled, "But this wasn't because they intentionally concealed it, but rather due to objective factors... Just like Secretary Tan said: even several restoration institutions are still in the experimental and verification stage, so we can't be too demanding of them..."
The group exchanged glances: Is it really that simple?
Of course, that's not all.
The local authorities likely felt that Lin Sicheng's research focused on artifact restoration, not on simply copying existing artifacts. Even with technology sharing, there wasn't much conflict between the two sides.
If the cooperation goes well, they can complement each other.
Secondly, they also needed to ask Lin Sicheng for help:
While the Laoyaotou site is the only one of its kind in the province, it's not particularly impressive on a national scale. If, as Lin Sicheng suggested, we were to find sites from the Ming, Yuan, and even Jin-Song dynasties, we could fill the last gap in our collection. We wouldn't dare say it would be among the top, but it would certainly rank among the best in the country.
Trading these technologies for them is a worthwhile investment.
Of course, the main reason is that I have a good understanding of Lin Sicheng: he is so capable, so professional, and has so many titles. The key point is that he is only in his early twenties.
Imagine how long his future would be, how bright it would be? Under these circumstances, would Lin Sicheng be out of his mind to risk a lifetime of stigma, or even the possibility of imprisonment, by selling these technologies to others?
Combining several factors: It's better to be generous than stingy.
They had acquired the technology, but a problem arose: the craftsmanship required to apply for national intangible cultural heritage status must be of a very high standard and of considerable value, something Shang Yan understood.
She was a little worried: You have to eat one bowl of rice at a time, and walk one step at a time. Don't try to do things haphazardly, and end up doing nothing well.
She thought for a moment and then gently suggested, "Lin Sicheng, why don't we put this aside for now and study the Chengni inkstone first?"
Lin Sicheng nodded: "Of course!"
The saying "don't bite off more than you can chew" doesn't mean you shouldn't do any research, but rather that you should distinguish between primary and secondary tasks.
"Yes, let's figure out the Chengni inkstone first!"
Wang Qizhi picked up the file on Chengni Inkstone and casually flipped through it. "I forgot to ask you, how did Director Yao do it?"
"It's very simple: he concealed several core processes and key data!"
Lin Sicheng carefully explained, "The most crucial step in the clay preparation process for Chengni inkstones is air-drying: because the inkstone body is relatively thick, unlike porcelain which has only a thin layer, the clay body will inevitably shrink and then crack during the air-drying process."
"To avoid this, plasticizers must be added before aging. But because the process has been lost, it's impossible to know exactly what's added... The first document Director Yao sent didn't mention it..."
A few people crowded around to take a look: This time it's written, leave a mark!
"It's just talcum powder?"
Lin Sicheng nodded.
Actually, the original formula included red lead, also known as yellow lead oxide. Besides preventing cracking, it also acted as a flux, lowering the sintering temperature of the clay and preventing the inkstone from vitrifying due to high temperatures.
It further promotes the vitrification of the clay and increases the density of the inkstone. This is how Chengni inkstones are described as "as hard as iron" and "able to retain water without drying out."
However, this stuff has a drawback: if the proportions are slightly off, it will react with other elements in the clay, causing bubbling, dullness, or even peeling of the surface. Crucially, the balance point is extremely difficult to achieve.
Looking at these Chengni inkstone samples, it's clear that the Chengni Inkstone Research Institute is still in the experimental stage. They only know that they need to add litharge, but they are unsure how much to add.
Secondly, fuel.
The traditional method of firing Chengni inkstones uses neither coal nor firewood, nor exactly the "semi-wet rice husks" mentioned in the second document, but rather semi-wet cow dung.
The reason for keeping it "semi-wet" is to avoid the kiln heating up too quickly, which would cause the clay body to crack due to excessive temperature difference between the inside and outside.
Secondly, the carbon-containing smoke produced by incomplete combustion seeps into the micropores of the clay body, forming a carbonized layer that fills the gaps and increases the density of the inkstone.
Semi-wet rice husks can achieve both of these conditions.
But there is one more crucial point: cow dung contains nitrogen, which, when burned in a confined space, can produce inert gases and create a reducing atmosphere.
This is the main reason for the color change of Chengni inkstones: the reducing atmosphere can prevent the iron elements in the clay from oxidizing and changing color.
To put it bluntly: the kiln transformation of Chengni inkstones can be completely controlled by humans; whatever color you want, you can fire it to produce that color.
Looking at the samples again, they are almost all black inkstones, with only a few bright silver spots occasionally visible, indicating that the Chengni Research Institute is still in the experimental research stage.
They may not even have figured this out yet.
Therefore, Lin Sicheng had been thinking: if the second batch of materials he received was still shoddy and poorly made, he would immediately return to Xi'an, publish his thesis, and apply for a patent simultaneously.
Another battle is inevitable, but so be it.
Fortunately, what was lost on one front was gained on another...
After a moment's thought, Lin Sicheng told Fang Jin to put the documents away.
Then, the six of them discussed the follow-up exploration plan.
The group was very confident, mainly because they had confidence in Lin Sicheng: the Laoyaotou site was so hard to find, but it only took half a month.
Let's extend the timeline this time, double it: one month, that should be enough, right?
Lin Sicheng, on the contrary, felt it was a bit risky.
The reason why Laoyaotou is easy to find is that it is close to the Xipo ancient kiln site group, there are porcelain clay mine remains on the surface, and it is located in a mountainous area with obvious traces of ancient river channels.
Crucially, from the early Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China era, the kilns at Laoyaotou remained almost continuously ablaze. The kiln sites were inevitably built along the river, with only a few decades separating each phase.
Furthermore, the area is surrounded by mountains, so even if the rivers have changed course, they can only change along the valleys and not go very far.
With these prerequisites in mind, by following the old river sites from the five periods of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China, the late Qing Dynasty, the mid-Qing Dynasty, and the early Qing Dynasty, we can deduce the approximate extent of the ruins.
However, the Guzhen site is located in the plains outside the Longmen Mountains, in an area consisting of villages and fields. Moreover, it spans from the Ming Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, a gap of six or seven hundred years. Who knows how many times the river course changed, how many bends it took, and how many relics have survived?
Of course, it's not that they can't find them, but it takes effort. Lin Sicheng estimated that a month might not be enough.
Sure enough, his words came true.
...
In the valley, the river follows the road, and the road runs alongside the river. Zhema Valley runs alongside National Highway 209, passing through the Longmen Mountains and reaching the Hejin Basin.
The river water was as clear as a mirror, and the wheat fields rippled with pale golden waves. In the distance, the green mountains were like dark eyebrows, a scene as beautiful as a poem or a painting.
The scenery was beautiful, but a group of people looked gloomy.
I was quite confident before, thinking I could definitely finish it in a month. But two weeks have passed, and we still haven't figured out the distribution of the Zhegu River, let alone the kiln site.
It's not that we couldn't find them, but that there are too many: Hejin has three valleys (rivers), in addition to Zhema Valley, there are also Shen Valley and Gua Valley.
Coincidentally, all three rivers flow through the Guzhen area. All three rivers have considerable flow rates, making it possible to build kilns on the banks of any of them.
More importantly, this place is peaceful. Although the three rivers are independent water systems and do not intersect, in years of abundant water and floods, the river channels will drift several miles away.
In addition, human interference, such as flood control embankment construction, water diversion and damming, etc., has resulted in the river course changing seven or eight times in the same village over the past hundred years.
Furthermore, because the riverbank land was extremely fertile, many flat areas were reclaimed, resulting in most of the ancient river channels being lost.
But no matter how hard it is to find, we have to find it.
The twenty archaeological team members were divided into three teams, with Tian Jie, Gao Zhangyi, and Lin Sicheng each leading a team. Every day, they were either surveying or exploring the terrain.
It's no exaggeration to say that Lin Sicheng wore out two pairs of shoes.
Wang Qizhi, Shang Yan, and the data team worked at full capacity, spending 24 hours a day researching data, except for eating and sleeping.
They've visibly lost a lot of weight.
Tan Wu and Chen Zongnian were not idle either. In addition to ensuring logistical support, the two mobilized all their resources to arrange personnel to conduct on-site visits and search for clues.
Unfortunately, after working for half a month, the clues only became more numerous and more confusing.
This is under the premise that it is clearly known that the ancient kiln site is located within the area of two towns. What if we expand this to the entire county, or even the entire prefecture-level city?
A group of Shaanxi locals finally understood: why did everyone in the city know that Yuncheng had the ancient Puzhou Kiln? They had put in a lot of effort to search for it, but after more than ten years, they hadn't found even a trace of the kiln site.
Correspondingly, Tan Wu and Chen Zongnian, as well as the leaders in charge, were even more impressed: compared to this, Lin Sicheng's act of finding the old kiln site with just one paddle was like a miracle!
Seriously, it's so damn hard to find...
It was noon again, and the chef's voice came through the walkie-talkie, saying that the meal was ready.
The canteen is located in the village committee, and the conditions are much better than in the old kiln. At least we don't have to eat with the mountain wind blowing in: after finishing a bowl of rice, we have half a mouthful of sand.
The teams boarded the vehicles and headed towards the village committee. Sitting in the car, seeing Wang Qizhi's furrowed brow, Lin Sicheng smiled and reassured him:
"Teacher, really, don't worry, you'll definitely find it eventually, it's just a matter of time."
Wang Qizhi knew he could find it, but the question was, sooner or later, how long?
But we've already received the payment, so we can't just give up after only half a month of searching, can we?
He sighed: "You're quite optimistic!"
Lin Sicheng smiled: I'm used to it from my past life. I wandered around in the mountains for half a year and couldn't find a single hair in the end. It's not like I haven't been through it before.
Sometimes, besides ability, you also need a bit of a lucky break when it comes to archaeology.
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