Chapter 241 A Perfect Match
Upon hearing Huang Zhifeng's voice, everyone gathered around.
Lin Sicheng simply turned on speakerphone:
"Teacher Lin, we first tested the transport sample in the coke soil layer, and the content value (C14) was 1200±50 (years)!"
"Subsequent testing of the kiln's fumes revealed that the last heating event occurred between 1150 and 1200 years ago..."
"Preliminary estimates suggest that the coke and kiln ash belong to the same period, dating back more than 1150 years..."
Suddenly, Tan Wu's heart skipped a beat.
1150 years ago, when was that?
Around 950 AD, at the end of the Five Dynasties period.
However, this was only the last time the kiln was heated, which also meant the kiln was abandoned. Its construction occurred much earlier. If we consider a period of 1200 years, that would have been the late Tang Dynasty.
Another report confirms this: the carbon-14 content of the auxiliary sample in the same cultural layer as the coke was 1200 years, indicating that the kilns in both superimposed cultural layers were Tang Dynasty sites.
High-temperature kilns and coke from the Tang Dynasty?
Even though he was mentally prepared, Tan Wu's heart still skipped a beat when he heard the test results.
Lin Sicheng smiled and said, "Secretary-General, this is only a preliminary speculation. Further excavation and testing are needed. Secondly, both carbon-14 and thermoluminescence dating have errors, at least forty or fifty years. It's possible that both cultural layers belong to the early Song Dynasty."
That's enough.
If we consider the earliest coking site in China, this is 150 to 160 years earlier than the late Song Dynasty site at Guantai in Handan, Hebei.
From the perspective of "China's earliest coking coal-fired porcelain kiln", it predates the Ming Dynasty Chenghua site discovered at the Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln by a full five hundred years.
Therefore, this discovery not only overturned two archaeological conclusions, but was also a major discovery, the first of its kind in China. For Hejin, a small county-level city located in the northwest, this is a huge boost.
Tan Wu took a deep breath, pondering how to report to his superiors.
After a short rest, several teams resumed work one after another. Around five o'clock, Tian Jie discovered a semi-downdraft steamed bun kiln on the edge of the terraced field, about 100 meters northeast of position number three.
An hour later, Gao Zhangyi found a pit of discarded porcelain in the southwest direction of position number three.
The group's eyes lit up as they looked at the fine white porcelain shards in the chime tube.
...
The floor-to-ceiling windows reflected the morning light, and the air was filled with the aroma of bitter tea.
The government's regular meeting is at 9:00 AM on Monday.
In about ten minutes, the leaders entered the conference room one after another.
The mayor estimated it would be a while before the executive officer took out a pack of cigarettes and handed them out to everyone.
Jiang Chengying didn't smoke; he was scribbling on a piece of paper. Cui Guo, sitting next to him, glanced at him.
Several angular symbols connected together represent mountains, while three water-shaped lines in the middle represent rivers. Below, triangles mark a few place names scattered throughout.
"Old Kiln Master, please represent... Bei Wuqin, Tang Dynasty... Guzhen, Song Dynasty?" Cui Guo praised, "Tsk, Mayor Jiang, quite diligent, isn't he?"
Jiang Chengying paused for a moment.
Using words like "diligent" here feels somewhat inappropriate; it's more of a teasing remark, with a hint of mockery.
Cui Guo was in charge of cultural, broadcasting, and archives work, and the departments of cultural relics, archaeology, and local history were all within his purview. However, the survey of the Hejin Ancient Kiln was ultimately taken over by Jiang Chengying.
No matter who it is, they will have their own thoughts.
But no one can be blamed for this: two weeks ago, the Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau and the Archaeological Institute announced that there might be an ancient kiln site made of egg white jade in Hejin, and the two levels of leadership held a special meeting.
At the time, Cui Guo thought: These two were the most inconspicuous of government departments, with extremely low visibility. Making a fuss over the slightest commotion was clearly an attempt to gain attention.
If you want to revive it, that's fine, but exaggerating and making alarmist claims is going too far: a craft that has been lost for hundreds of years, which Shanxi people can't revive, but Shaanxi people can? That's ridiculous, isn't it?
Putting everything else aside, the site is in Shanxi, right? If we don't excavate it, how can the people of Shaanxi dig it up themselves?
Without specimens or artifacts, what can he use for research?
Therefore, during the discussion, Cui Guo suggested that we should conduct surveys and excavations where necessary. If the city didn't have enough manpower, we should apply to the province. If we couldn't find anything in a year, we should search for several more years.
If we hire someone from Shaanxi, wouldn't that be like exposing our own shortcomings and airing our dirty laundry in public?
However, Jiang Chengying held a completely different opinion: in terms of the number of relics, the two provinces were roughly the same. But in terms of archaeological expertise and the preservation of relics, Shaanxi was slightly better.
Moreover, it is generally accepted that Shaanxi has many tombs, each of which requires extensive exploration and searching. Shanxi, on the other hand, has more above-ground relics but fewer tombs, so there are generally fewer that need to be excavated from underground.
Moreover, the protective measures in Shaanxi are relatively more adequate. Here, people are allowed to sunbathe and get soaked as much as they want.
Therefore, it's not shameful to be less skilled than others, and it's even less shameful to ask for help.
Furthermore, Chief Engineer Shui has been engaged in ceramic archaeology and industrial ceramics research for over sixty years. His understanding of the distribution of archaeological sites within the province and the current state of the province's ceramic industry is unparalleled in the province.
His words were by no means exaggerated or alarmist.
The two expressed their opinions, and neither could convince the other. In the end, they voted to invite them.
Naturally, this matter was put in the care of Jiang Chengying.
Vice Mayor Jiang was very proactive; he personally went to Taiyuan to visit Shui Jisheng. Then, he invited the heads and experts from the Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau and the Archaeological Institute to form a group and make a trip to Xi'an.
A week later, after returning, another meeting was held in the city. When Jiang Chengying recounted the negotiations with Xi'an, Cui Guo remained unconvinced: "With these conditions, we could have easily brought in an expert from Beijing. In the end, we brought in a child from Xi'an?"
He had read the information: the child was indeed professional, but his expertise was limited to the identification and restoration of cultural relics. However, this case involved archaeological exploration and the restoration of craftsmanship.
To be honest: no matter how knowledgeable or versatile someone is, they still need time to learn, right?
Twenty-one years old? Even if he started learning from the womb, how much could he possibly learn?
Therefore, Cui Guo remained a cold observer.
Jiang Chengying was also aware of this, and he had been holding his breath with great determination.
Seeing that he didn't speak, Cui Guo chuckled: "As the saying goes, every profession is like a mountain to climb, Mayor Jiang really needs to work harder."
Jiang Chengying nodded and closed his notebook: "There is a sequence to learning, and everyone has their own expertise. I can't compare to Mayor Cui!"
"I wouldn't call myself a specialist, but I've always been in charge of this area, so I know a little more about it than Mayor Jiang. To be honest, a week is more than enough time to research and make plans. But it's been almost ten days, and there's still no movement from Hejin. Could it be that things have stalled?"
"But that shouldn't be the case, right? Chief Engineer Shui praised him so highly, and Mayor Jiang was full of praise for him too. That Teacher Lin must have something special about him. Besides, there's been a discovery of relics (white glazed bowl), and the Old Kiln Site can serve as a reference. There must be a site in Beiwuqin. Putting aside whether it's easy to find it, shouldn't we start looking for it first?"
"Leaving aside everything else, the food, wages, and subsidies for these thirty-odd people from Xijing alone add up to tens of thousands every week!"
Cui Guo flicked his cigarette ash, a smile on his face. "Of course, it's just a suggestion. If Mayor Jiang minds, just pretend I didn't say anything!"
The others were all taken aback, their eyes turning strange: They're arguing?
Actually, these two have never gotten along very well. It's just that before it was under the table, but this time, because of the Hejin Ancient Kiln, it's been brought out onto the table.
Jiang Chengying didn't mind: "Mayor Cui, it's only been a week, what's the rush?"
Cui Guo gave a thumbs up, a double entendre: "Mayor Jiang is truly composed!"
Jiang Chengying just smiled and didn't say anything more.
The others looked disappointed: After being cornered by Lao Cui like this, they still wouldn't take the bait?
Old Cui was right, Old Jiang really is very patient...
Just as he was pondering this, footsteps came from the doorway, and the mayor entered the conference room with his secretary.
"Sorry, I just took a phone call!"
After explaining, Lan Ze'an sensed that the atmosphere was a bit off and paused subconsciously.
After glancing around and observing the expressions of his colleagues, he immediately guessed what was going on: Old Cui was stirring up trouble again.
If you don't want to do it, of course you have to assign it to someone else. But once someone else does it, you're afraid they'll do it well... Old Cui, what kind of mentality is that?
The problem is, even if you want to cause trouble, can't you at least do some research first?
Now look what happened, he slapped himself in the face...
After a moment's thought, Lan Ze'an expressionlessly opened the document: "Before the meeting, I have some news to announce. Just now, He Jin called to report: Yesterday, the archaeological team conducted a trial survey in Beiwuqin, Senglou Town, and discovered three porcelain kiln sites..."
Preliminary examination revealed that one kiln was a semi-downdraft horseshoe kiln from the late Tang Dynasty, while the other two were superimposed remains, both being downdraft pit kilns from the late Tang and Five Dynasties period…
Everyone was stunned for a moment, instinctively turning their heads to look at Jiang Chengying and then at Cui Guo.
The former remained unmoved, unchanged from before. The latter seemed stunned, suddenly taken aback.
Three sites, and they're from the Tang Dynasty? How is that possible?
The key point is that yesterday was just a trial survey.
You didn't conduct on-site visits or environmental surveys before you went directly to the site?
It's one thing to survey, but in just one day, they found three sites?
If anyone else had said this, Cui Guo would have sneered three times: This is archaeology, do you think it's like drinking water and eating, where you can just move your mouth?
If you can understand the terrain, complete the surveying, and draw up the maps in just one day, I have to praise you for being fast.
However, if Hejin dared to call the mayor directly to report this, how could it be false?
As the thought crossed his mind, Cui Guo's face turned red at a visible speed.
No wonder this bastard won't respond no matter how much I try to pressure him.
Did they receive a tip last night and deliberately wait for me to fall into a trap and embarrass myself?
In an instant, a surge of rage welled up in his mind: Jiang Chengying, I'll fuck your mother...
Cui Guo, his face flushed, suppressed his anger: "Does Mayor Jiang know?"
“I know!” Jiang Chengying nodded. “Before coming to the conference room, I received a call from Professor Wang (Wang Qizhi). I couldn’t believe it at the time, so I specifically asked Chief Engineer Shui about it. I was planning to report to the mayor after the meeting…”
So, you dug a hole for me?
While cursing Jiang Chengying's ancestors in his heart, Cui Guo gritted his teeth and said: You old sly bastard, you just wait!
Before he could even finish swallowing, Lan Ze'an unscrewed the thermos and took a sip.
"In addition, coke was also found in the central area of the two superimposed sites... Yesterday afternoon, the tests were first conducted at the Municipal Museum, but fearing errors, they were sent to the provincial museum overnight. Then, Chief Engineer Shui personally led a team to conduct tests, and the two test reports were basically consistent."
"Therefore, it can be preliminarily determined that the coking coal sample discovered by Bei Wuqin dates from the late Tang to the Five Dynasties period... From this, it can be inferred that Hejin had mastered relatively mature coking technology during the late Tang and Five Dynasties period and applied it to the firing of porcelain..."
What is that, coking coal?
Most of the people present were laymen, but even if they didn't understand, they at least knew what the concept of "discovering Tang Dynasty coke" meant.
They also know what the discovery of related sites within their jurisdiction means.
For a moment, we looked at each other, our faces filled with disbelief.
Cui Guo's face was gloomy.
Damn it, this is incredibly embarrassing.
If what just happened and what was said were to get out, the city would laugh at us for two years.
But compared to that, the shame is nothing: the survey of the Hejin ancient kiln should have been his responsibility, but now it was the Jiang family's.
Isn't this even more unbearable than eating shit?
He gritted his teeth, trying to calm himself down: "Mayor, they only took one day... to find three kilns and fuel?"
"Not only the kilns, but also the clay piles, washing pools, and waste pits—the four core facilities of a porcelain kiln site are all there! All that's left is to excavate..."
Lan Ze'an nodded: "Actually, after receiving the call, I was also a little incredulous, so I made a special call to Director Ren of the Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau to verify it."
In his words, watching that engineer Lin do archaeology made him feel that he had wasted more than ten years of schooling and more than twenty years of archaeological work: there were no visits, no research, no surveying, and not even a trial exploration.
He simply observed the terrain, drew a simple map, and had the archaeological team explore according to it. Then, whatever was drawn on the map was exactly what was underground... just as if those ruins were built with the eye of that engineer Lin, and then buried in the ground..."
After a slight pause, Lan Ze'an sighed, "Incredible skill!"
His mind went blank for a moment, and Cui Guo's face felt numb and stiff, as if he had a sock over his head.
The first time the child found the old kiln site, he asked Liu Ming (deputy curator of the municipal museum). At that time, Liu Ming said something like this: "It's amazing, unbelievable."
It is said that the child seemed to know that the kiln was there, and when he poked the spade down, he hit a pile of wood ash.
I scoffed at the time: If it were really that amazing, I wouldn't have wandered around aimlessly for half a month without finding a single hair.
It was just luck.
So when Jiang Chengying said at the meeting that he would personally go and invite the child, Cui Guo found it quite funny: Mayor Jiang, instead of relying on luck, you might as well go and have your fortune told?
But what about now?
Looking back, wasn't it you who pushed yourself to achieve such great merit?
Cui Guo wished he could slap himself twice.
Feeling dazed and confused, Cui Guo didn't remember a single word during the hour-and-a-half-long meeting.
His mind was filled with four words: How could this be... How could this be?
After finally getting through the meeting, Cui Guo didn't even leave the meeting room; he immediately called Ren Xinbo.
He didn't answer the first time, and he still didn't answer the second time. On the third time, Ren Xinbo hung up and sent a text message: Mayor Cui, the bureau chief is in a meeting.
Cui Guo's heart skipped a beat, and he typed out a message and sent it: Director Ren, what kind of meeting is it?
Ren Xinbo: Symposium on the Excavation of the Tang Dynasty Porcelain Kiln Site in Beiwuqin.
Cui Guo: Haven't we already found the core site? What's there to discuss? Why don't we just dig it up?
Ren Xinbo: This isn't some small kiln that you can just dig up whenever you want. The department leaders' idea is to discuss it first, and if it really doesn't work, then submit a report to the State Administration of Cultural Heritage for support...
If we report this to higher authorities, how high must the level of this site be?
Thinking back to his own "reservation of opinion" during the vote, Cui Guo felt a wave of dizziness and his ears rang as if thunder had struck.
...
After finishing the meeting in the hall in the morning, the leaders of the hall went straight to Hejin without taking a break at noon.
The meeting was held in the municipal government building, and it was attended by a large number of high-ranking officials: leaders from both the Hejin and Heilongjiang levels. In addition to Jiang Chengying, the municipal party committee also sent its secretary-general to attend.
The Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau had even more attendees, including a deputy director, and heads of various departments such as the Science and Technology Department, the Cultural Relics Management Department, the Heritage Management Department, the Archaeological Research Institute, the Cultural Heritage Protection Research Institute, the Cultural Heritage Planning Research Institute, the Cultural Heritage Survey and Protection Research Institute, and so on.
There are also the Industry Hall, the Culture Hall, and Shui Jisheng, who was specially invited.
They were either all white-haired or had graying temples. Ren Xinbo was forty-five years old this year, which was considered young among them.
Therefore, Wang Qizhi and Lin Sicheng, sandwiched in the middle, stood out conspicuously. They were also the most eye-catching.
Nearly half of them, no, perhaps more than half, shared Mayor Cui's opinion: What was YC City thinking? Why not use their own people and instead bring in some greenhorn from another province?
What's even more incomprehensible is that the provincial departments responsible for cultural relics, culture, and industry unanimously agreed.
Shanxi is so big, is there no one left?
It was later learned that Chief Engineer Shui had single-handedly facilitated this matter. Even so, many people remained skeptical at the time.
Until yesterday, and this morning.
Just like what Chief Engineer Shui said bluntly before Lin Sicheng and Wang Qizhi arrived: "True gold fears no fire; let's see what it's made of."
Not just one day, but a week, oh no... half a month, can you handle that?
No one spoke.
Whether half a month is feasible or not, let's put aside that for now and just talk about Lin Sicheng's method: no research, no visits, not even a survey plan or underground survey map.
Upon arrival, we explored the area on foot, using the most ancient method: observing the mountains, the water, and the terrain.
Without using any high technology, without using resistance, without using geomagnetism, they simply circled around, drew a directional map, and then began the exploration.
They had never even heard of such a rudimentary, almost joking, method or procedure, let alone knew it.
And what was the result?
He drew three diagrams. Lin Sicheng would point out where the raw material area was, and that's where the raw material area was. He would point out where the kiln was, and that's where the kiln was.
What's most puzzling is this: if this is the first time it's been discovered in China, then this kiln must be the first in the world, right?
How did Lin Sicheng know what the exterior of the kiln looked like and what its internal structure was like?
Even, exactly the same?
It's true, Ren Xinbo isn't the only one who thinks this way: compared to Lin Sicheng, it feels like all the education he's received over a decade of has gone to waste. Has he been wasting over twenty years of his life in archaeology?
Amidst these reflections, the meeting proceeded smoothly and in an orderly manner.
Whether it was the bureau chief or Mayor Jiang, they were all very polite to Lin Sicheng... no, to be more precise, they were very respectful.
For each issue, the two would consult Lin Sicheng's opinion. Lin Sicheng generally didn't offer his opinion, but whenever he did, it was almost always adopted.
Lin Sicheng suggested that while groundbreaking discoveries should certainly be reported to higher authorities, Shanxi's archaeological exploration capabilities are among the best in the country. With the State Administration of Cultural Heritage's Institute of Archaeology taking the lead and relevant units providing assistance, the excavation of the Beiwuqin site is entirely feasible.
At the same time, the Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau's Institute of Cultural Heritage and Institute of Planning can jointly form a research team with Northwest University to explore and conduct joint research, creating a new model of integration between research institutes and institutions.
Furthermore, they could collaborate with the School of Humanities and the School of History at Shanxi University to explore in-depth interdisciplinary research.
In plain terms: Whether it's excavation or research, our own resources are sufficient; there's no need to seek outside help. Otherwise, just the issue of who has the lead could lead to endless arguments.
If you absolutely must invite someone, invite someone from your own university, such as someone from Xida University.
When Lin Sicheng mentioned this, some people wondered: Xida is Xida in Shaanxi, so how did it become one of the people in Shanxi?
Only after his colleague explained did he understand: finding three kilns in one day was obviously a sign that the leader's head hadn't been kicked by a donkey, so the subsequent investigation would naturally still focus on the "Yuncheng Branch of the Xida Cultural Relics Restoration Center".
With this as the link, Xida University is naturally considered one of our own.
The key point is that Northwest University is an academic and educational institution, and it is not involved in regional or political factors. Even if all the teachers and students of the School of Cultural Heritage were invited to come and help, it would not cause any negative impact.
Moreover, there's something even more remarkable: Lin Sicheng proposed a new model integrating research institutes and institutions, as well as in-depth interdisciplinary research. This model integrates resources, strengthens research capabilities, and provides new directions for university education, talent cultivation, and selection.
To put it bluntly: Shanxi has many key universities, but it lacks expertise in archaeology and cultural heritage. Therefore, relatively speaking, the level of academic education, research, and talent cultivation in cultural heritage is somewhat lacking.
This opportunity can be used to achieve university collaboration, mutual hiring of staff, and even resource sharing.
It won't take long, three to five years. I can't say for science, but there's absolutely no problem with Shandong University establishing an undergraduate archaeology program that covers all humanities subjects.
See, in this way, we have archaeologists, researchers, and people who can perform excavation and surface scraping (low-skilled tasks), right?
But that's secondary. The key point is: if this really happens, the influence of both Northwest University and Shandong University will immediately leap to a new level.
When Lin Sicheng finished speaking, the eyes of the bureau chief and several leaders immediately lit up.
Wang Qizhi was so impressed he wanted to applaud.
Is Xida coming?
It could involve a major discovery that "traces the origins of Chinese civilization's industrial genes and rewrites global technological history," and the person in charge is a student from their own school. Only a fool wouldn't come.
Is Shandong University willing to cooperate?
In just a few years, they can establish a new discipline, and it will be guided by the second-ranked key university in the country. Only someone in their right mind would refuse to cooperate.
What's this called?
They hit it off immediately.
What Wang Qizhi admires is that Lin Sicheng not only thinks of it, but also does it.
See, the problem that He Zhigang was worried about the day before yesterday has been solved, hasn't it?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
