Riding the wind of rebirth

The appearance of this postscript also proves Zhou Zhi's inference that this scroll was rebuilt during the Guangxu period.

However, how to prove that it was renovated during the Qianlong period requires Zhou Zhi to explain.

Just like explaining the oracle bone inscriptions, it is mysterious in the eyes of laymen, but full of evidence in Zhou Zhi's eyes. Although most of this "Thousand Miles of the Yangtze River" is original, there are also many traces of repairs on it.

The picture is a large silk scroll, so it is "softly mounted", that is, the mounting and backing are made of satin, silk, and extremely soft special paper, so that the shrinkage and flexibility of the mounting material and the picture are kept consistent.

This involves a very special kind of paper - cocoon paper.

The so-called cocoon paper is made by adding a large amount of silk fibers to the paper during its production. This will certainly increase the cost, but it will make the paper more tough and soft. The favorite of early intellectuals was the Gyerim cocoon paper produced in Goryeo. Later emperors ordered its reproduction. During the Qianlong period, cocoon paper comparable to the Goryeo Gyerim paper of the previous dynasty was produced.

Cocoon paper is usually a very precious paper for calligraphy and painting, so it is a bit of a waste to use it for mounting. However, when Emperor Qianlong instructed Suzhou Weaving to imitate cocoon paper, Suzhou Weaving made a mistake. Due to lack of understanding of the characteristics of silk floss, the first imitation Jilin cocoon paper produced was too thin, so Emperor Qianlong issued an edict to reprimand it.

Historical records do not explain where this batch of paper went, but when Zhou Zhi was researching calligraphy and painting restoration materials at the Palace Museum, he saw two batches of imitation Jilin paper of different thicknesses, and thus concluded that this batch of paper had flowed into the royal treasury.

Although this batch of paper is too thin and it is more complicated to process it into paper for calligraphy and painting, as it requires layering with other paper materials, it has an unexpected benefit: it can be used as the backing paper for excellent silk works, that is, the layer that is closest to the work.

"From the traces of restoration on the back mounting, it can be seen that the thin Jilin paper was used as the material at that time. Therefore, I concluded that this work had been restored before the Guangxu period, probably during the Qianlong period."

"Because the amount of this unexpected batch of paper is very small, it will soon be used up, and the Palace Museum will only have some scraps left."

"George, do you know where in the Forbidden City this batch of thin Jilin paper is stored?" Weng Wange asked.

"I saw the sample in the materials laboratory. According to the archives, the sample came from the Zhaoren Hall of the Qianqing Palace."

"Let me solve this mystery for you." Weng Wange signaled to Weng Yijun, and Weng Yijun handed over a special cold light lamp.

Weng Wange found a place on the scroll, put the light underneath and turned it on. A dim circle of light appeared behind the scroll, and two faint seals could be seen in the circle of light.

On one is the regular script "Qianlong Year Imitation Jilin White Cocoon", and on the other is Zhouzhi's most familiar - Tianlu Linlang!

In the ninth year of Qianlong's reign,

, selected rare editions for viewing, and after some effort, obtained 71 Song editions, 1 Jin edition, 20 Song editions, 85 Yuan editions, and 252 Ming editions. Emperor Qianlong specially named it "Tianlu Linlang" and collected it in the Zhaoren Hall of the Qianqing Palace.

The two seals just happen to be connected with the story of "Ji Lin Thin Paper" mentioned by Zhou Zhi, which not only proves the accuracy of Zhou Zhi's inference, but also explains the inheritance experience of this painting.

"It's true that the Yangtze River's waves behind push the waves ahead. I was worried that the predecessors would wither away and there would be no successors, but unexpectedly, there are people like George among the younger generation." Weng Wange no longer had any doubts about Zhou Zhi's level. The Weng family had studied the remains of their ancestors for generations. The two seals hidden in the back mounting of "A Thousand Miles of the Yangtze River" were just discovered by Weng Yijun. This result has not been published. Weng Yijun is still searching for clues, but unexpectedly, Zhou Zhi came and easily revealed the seals without having seen them at all. Now he really admires this young man. After appreciating "A Thousand Miles of the Yangtze River", Zhou Zhi was already satisfied. Then he remembered what they said when they were chatting just now: "Just now, I heard what Mr. Weng and Mr. Shu Ning said. Is there anything that Mr. Weng needs my help with?"

"I don't want you to work hard, I want you to spend money." Wang Shaofang said with a smile.

"Oh?" Zhou Zhi's eyebrows twitched: "Laixiju has collections to sell? I wonder what kind of collections they are?"

"Everyone says I'm a collector, but that's not true," Weng Wange said. "In fact, I only keep things, not collect them, so I should be called a 'collector-keeper'."

“Of course, the most important part of Weng’s collection is the books.”

"The Weng family's collection of books in Changshu was listed as one of the nine great collections of books in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Weng family's collection of books lasted for six generations and more than 160 years. Duke Wen Gong took over the collection of calligraphy and paintings from his father and brother, and continued to collect after he became an official."

"For example, when he was in Shaanxi and Shanxi, he collected inscriptions and calligraphy given to him by his students and old friends, including the Huairen Holy Teaching Stele. During the Second Opium War, the Haidian Gardens were looted, and most of the ancient books, inscriptions, calligraphy and paintings in the gardens were lost. During the Xinyou Coup, Zaiyuan and Duanhua were executed one after another, and most of the books, inscriptions, calligraphy and paintings in the Prince Yi's and Prince Su's palaces were also lost. In addition, after the homes of Qishan and Qiying were raided, most of their collections were confiscated and sold."

"Some of these collections were purchased by Duke Wen Gong, including Tang Dynasty sutras, Song Dynasty rubbings of Magu Altar Records, Ming Dynasty rubbings of the Dispute over Seats Stele, and Liquan Inscription."

"After that, when he returned to his hometown to repair his tomb, he passed through Shanghai. He established contacts with Jiuhuatang, Saoyeshanfang, Tongwen Book Bureau, and Suzhou Baofang Pavilion. When booksellers found rare books, they would deliver them to their homes. If they were proud of something, they would often raise funds from various sources and try their best to buy it."

"During his stay in the capital, he left his footprints in all the bookstores, including Boguzhai, Lunguzhai, Congguzhai, Jiguzhai, Zunguzhai, Baoguzhai, Baowentang, Sanhuaitang, and Jigutang. Most of the secret books purchased by the bookstores were recorded in his diary, which contains clues and the flow of transmission."

This is extremely amazing. After a cultural relic arrives at a bookstore, most of its origin information can only be inferred from the prefaces, annotations, seals and other traces in the books. What Weng Tonghe did was actually to continue the broken order of transmission. One hundred and sixty years later, these have once again become important inheritance information.

"As the reform failed, Duke Wen Gong was dismissed and returned to his hometown. He left in a hurry, leaving his nephew Sun Binsun to look after his property and books in Beijing. The following year, Duke Binsun sent back the books, paintings, documents, and manuscripts that Duke Wen Gong had deposited in his Beijing residence. Some of them were moved to Tianjin, and some were shipped back to his hometown in Changshu, where Duke Wen Gong spent his miserable old age."

"Let me tell you about the rest." Weng Yijun continued, "Although it is divided into two places, the books in the two places can still be said to be connected and fill the house. The books left in the Changshu Caiyi Hall are mostly those that have never been seen before."

"It's a pity that the country was in turmoil later, and the collection of Caiyitang was scattered, and finally gradually became part of public and private collections."

"Two years ago, my uncle donated his old house in Changshu to the local government. According to the figures given to us by the local government, the Weng family's collection of books, except for those scattered among the people and yet to be collected, is mainly stored in two places, Nanjing Library and Changshu Library."

"Among them, Nanjing Library has more than 5,000 volumes, and the ancient books department of Changshu Library has more than 400 kinds of books; less than 2,000 volumes." (End of this chapter)