Chapter 143 Want to Fly Before You Can Walk? (Bonus Chapter 4/4 for Monthly Tickets)
It's better not to remind them, but once they do, things get messy.
The fact that Zhang Anshi's tomb was robbed and the fact that Zhang Anshi's son's tomb was robbed are two completely different things.
The key point is that it's right next to Duling.
In the former case, at most the public security department will notify the district-level cultural relic protection unit to keep a close watch on it.
The latter requires the provincial department to report it to higher levels. And if things go wrong, a working group from above might arrive the very next day after the report is submitted.
Just like that year, Mayor Geng wanted to repair the Yungang Grottoes, but before construction even started, someone filed a complaint. The next day, Director Shan led a group to Datong...
Guan Xingmin could no longer sit still and immediately reported to his superiors.
The leader immediately instructed all technical personnel from the market appraisal center and the provincial department to authenticate the artifacts and jade. At the same time, Chang'an District was notified to organize police forces for investigation and patrols.
All the jade appraisers have been taken away, so how can we appraise jade? Besides, Yang Zhigao has already been arrested, so he can't escape.
After seeing Guan Xingmin off, the teacher and student went straight to the Provincial Museum.
...
Lin Sicheng was driving, and Wang Qizhi was sitting in the passenger seat, sighing, "This time, it's not just one police station that owes you a favor. Tsk, what luck!"
Because whether it's applying for World Heritage status, researching crafts, or even archaeology and scientific research projects, anything related to "cultural relics" or "antiques," regardless of the activity, falls under the jurisdiction of the cultural department.
Therefore, it is more direct and convenient compared to the public security department.
The crucial point is that the favor for the reverse-flow pot hasn't been repaid yet, and now there's another one owed: Zhang Anshi's tomb?
Lin Sicheng nodded to himself: He was indeed very lucky.
If it weren't for Yi Ce and Yu Wenming, he wouldn't have remembered: it was at the beginning of this year that the State Council approved the establishment of a national-level economic and technological development zone in Xi'an, featuring the aerospace industry.
Around July or August, the National Development and Reform Commission approved the establishment of an aerospace industry base in Weiqu Town, and simultaneously mobilized the acquisition of construction land and carried out demolition.
The following spring, the land acquisition and demolition will be completed, and basic construction will begin on the site. The Zhang Anshi family tombs will be discovered when the foundation is halfway dug, likely around next summer.
After approval from the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, the archaeological team conducted a systematic excavation of the cemetery. They then discovered that most of the fourteen tombs had been looted.
The key point is that, apart from the sporadic looting that occurred before, 80% of the looting activities took place within a year.
To put it simply: after learning that Weiqu Town, where the tomb was located, was to be expropriated, the tomb raiders carried out a retaliatory excavation. They moved in under the guise of a demolition team, ostensibly to demolish houses and clear land for farmers, but secretly to steal the tomb.
Have you ever seen an excavator digging a tomb raider's tunnel? This tunnel stretched straight from the demolition village to the foot of the mausoleum, a full kilometer long.
The stolen artifacts include two gilded bronze chariots and horses. For comparison, the bronze chariots and horses at the First Emperor's Mausoleum are the same size as the real ones.
Two jade burial suits: Zhang Anshi and his wife.
Four silver-threaded jade burial suits: the son of Marquis Fuping, Zhang Yanshou and his wife, and the son of Marquis Yangdu, Zhang Pengzu and his wife.
In addition, there are two gold seals of marquises, seven bronze tripods, four bronze gui vessels, nine bronze bells with knobs, and four Yong bells.
Other items include the Goose-Fish Bronze Lamp, Fu Shan Incense Burner, Bronze Goose-Shaped Zun, Jade Dancing Figure, The Analects, The Burial Law, The Book of Prescriptions (a medical book), and The Medical Prescriptions, among many others.
The jade vessel that Lin Sicheng bought was not even a fraction of the price.
Knowing they would be exposed within a year at most, the gang hastily sold the stolen goods while simultaneously excavating them. Afterwards, the main leaders fled abroad, and most of the artifacts ended up on the black market.
It is unknown how many were recovered afterward; Lin Sicheng suspects it may have been less than one-tenth.
Lin Sicheng knew quite a few people were held accountable, but there were definitely many. Anyway, his grandfather was invited to a meeting and sighed for a long time afterward.
That's definitely not the case now: the demolition work only started in August, and it's only been going on for about two months. I estimate that the tunnel has only been dug halfway, or at most just through.
It's not far, just about seven or eight kilometers west of Duling. But the first phase of the aviation base alone covers more than twenty square kilometers. Lin Sicheng really didn't know exactly where it was located.
He had no idea which demolition team was responsible. So he had to resort to the most rudimentary method: find the grave first.
It wasn't hard to find, even easier than Wang Qizhi had guessed. Once they found the tomb, they could follow the clues and catch the person. How many favors they'd gain in the end was hard to say, but it certainly wouldn't be less than what happened with the reverse-flowing pot.
Secondly, Guan Xingmin is about to make another contribution, and a major one at that...
With a sigh of relief, I drove my Grand Cherokee into the Provincial Museum.
As soon as the car came to a stop, a man in his early thirties stepped down the stairs. He greeted her with a smile from about ten paces away: "Student Lin, my surname is Zhang, my name is Zhang Ping, and I'm Professor Yao's student. He asked me to pick you up..."
Lin Sicheng was taken aback for a moment, then quickly went to greet him, with Wang Qizhi silently following behind.
This visit was arranged by Lin Sicheng; he only said he was coming to check some information and ask a few questions. But Yao Hansong still sent a student to greet him downstairs, which shows how important Lin Sicheng was to him.
After a moment's thought, Lin Sicheng introduced, "Researcher Zhang, this is my teacher, Professor Wang from the School of Cultural Heritage Conservation at Xida University!"
"Oh, Professor Wang, hello!"
The laughter was more enthusiastic than the laughter itself, but Wang Qizhi still couldn't tell which one was genuine and which one was just a formulaic laugh.
Zhang Ping came to take the box again, but Lin Sicheng quickly declined, and the three of them went up the steps.
He should have been watching from the window the whole time. Just as he went up to the third floor, Yao Hansong happened to come out of his office.
He first smiled at Wang Qizhi and said, "Professor Wang."
Then she looked at Lin Sicheng and sighed, "I thought you would come the next day, but I waited for two weeks?"
Lin Sicheng quickly smiled apologetically: "Professor Yao, I'm sorry, I went out to look for research specimens for a while. I studied them again after I came back, so I haven't had time to do this!"
“There are indeed few specimens and materials made of gold. Although the museum does not have many genuine pieces, there are still a few replicas. You don’t need to look for them deliberately. If you want to practice, just come here.”
Yao Hansong smiled and said, "Don't feel embarrassed. True gold fears no fire. No matter how much you study it, the gold won't be less!"
"Yes, you're right!"
As they walked into the office, Lin Sicheng nodded repeatedly, while Wang Qizhi sighed inwardly.
Even if it's a fake, it's still made of gold.
After everyone was seated, Zhang Ping made tea, and Lin Sicheng opened the box: "I came today to ask Professor Yao to take a look and see if these two items are of any use!"
Yao Hansong nodded: "Okay!"
At first, he didn't pay attention, wondering if Lin Sicheng had gone to the same store again and bought two counterfeit He Jintang items.
Of course, He Jintang's skills are indeed superb, even better than his own, and even better than Master Jin Yi in the museum.
But to be honest, these are modern folk craft imitations, mostly copper with little gold, or even just gilded copper. If you want to study genuine Tang Dynasty court gold craftsmanship, it's best to avoid them when you're just starting out.
It's easy to go astray and be led astray.
But when Lin Sicheng opened the box and took out the items, Yao Hansong was first taken aback, and then his pupils suddenly contracted.
Is this a Ming Dynasty five-beam gold-threaded crown?
A Song Dynasty red lacquer box with gold inlay in the shape of lotus petals.
The key point is, it doesn't look like a counterfeit?
He instinctively stood up and took the golden crown from Lin Sicheng's hand:
The gold foil is engraved, the agate is polished, and the gold wire mesh uses the "lantern weaving technique".
The crown beam is made of braided strands and was constructed using the ash-piling method.
The inner lining is made of red gold beams, and the outer lining is covered with gold beads.
Especially the last one, "Layered Gold Beads": it originated from the Tang Dynasty, but surpassed it. It has the most direct connection with the Tang Dynasty's granulation bead technique.
The key point is that it is actually an authentic piece: it is like copying a tiger, still using the ancient method of frying beads as described in the literature. As long as it can be fried to the level of a golden crown bead, it means that the technique has been completely restored.
There's a beaded flower stuck on it... wait, is that the jade pressing method or the stamping method?
Haha, the three masters of the Song Dynasty wearing pearl-embroidered crowns?
Let's look at another piece, a Song Dynasty red lacquer box with gold inlay in the shape of lotus petals. This one is even more authentic!
Moreover, it is also directly related to the "Tang Dynasty gold and silver inlay technique" that Lin Sicheng and Wang Qizhi are preparing to study, which is almost lost.
It wasn't a direct inheritance, but rather a reverse innovation. However, the technological logic of the inlaid gold technique in the Song Dynasty did indeed originate from the flat-inlaid gold technique in the Tang Dynasty.
First, they share the same medium: both are lacquerware.
Secondly, the materials are related: all use gold and silver as decorative materials to showcase a luxurious feel.
The difference lies in the following: Inlaid gold is a lacquerware technique where grooves are carved and gold is inlaid. Flat inlay involves first inlaying the gold and then polishing it.
This is more than enough to prove that "the art of flat-cut inlay was still in existence during the Song Dynasty"...
Yao Hansong looked at it for a while, then looked up again: "Where did you find it?"
"The gold-threaded crown was bought from the same shop where I bought the agate cup, and the lacquer box was sourced from Hangzhou!"
How much did it cost?
"The lacquer box is worth 850,000, and the gold-threaded crown is worth 350,000!"
Yao Hansong froze, staring blankly at Lin Sicheng.
So, in total, it only cost 1.2 million?
But in terms of economic value alone, these three pieces would be worth well over 1.2 million each. And that doesn't even take into account the craftsmanship and historical significance…
Yao Hansong glanced at Wang Qizhi, then turned back, his eyes gradually brightening: "You've studied art appreciation before?"
"Professor Yao, my grandfather was also a professor at Northwest University!"
"Oh...sorry, you mentioned it before, I forgot!"
Yao Hansong smiled and then looked at Wang Qizhi.
Wang Qizhi wanted to curse: You forgot so you forgot, but what do you mean by this?
You mean, it definitely wasn't me who taught it, right?
Silently grumbling to himself, Yao Hansong put down the lacquer box again: "These are all rare and precious items, very valuable for reference. How do you plan to study them?"
"Professor Yao, I'd like to try and see if we can gradually experiment and deduce the key processes!"
Yao Hansong paused for a moment: "Try it directly?"
Lin Sicheng nodded: "Yes, Professor Yao, let's try it directly. I've also brought the materials for the experiment!"
Yao Hansong frowned slightly: This is not a question of whether or not there are materials.
To give an example: You haven't even learned to walk, yet you want to fly...
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