Riding the wind of rebirth

Although she knew that the person who could collect Zhang Daqian's "Clouds and Mountains of Wuxia" must have amazing wealth, she never imagined that Zhouzhi would also have such important masterpieces by modern masters!
These seven paintings are all famous for their size, representing the artist's most representative, largest, and most painstakingly crafted works.

Naturally, the price should also be the highest among these painters' works.

Last year, a small splashed-ink painting by Zhang Daqian, measuring three feet by one foot, sold for over two million Hong Kong dollars. Every painting here is approximately 1.5 meters by 3 meters, and all are representative works from the artists' peak periods. Even before the Chinese art market has reached its zenith, any painting from here, if submitted to Hanhai Auction, would fetch at least tens of millions of dollars.

"These seven paintings alone must be worth... close to 100 million, right?" Master Ma sighed. He was right to give up large-scale collections and focus on smaller pieces; he simply didn't have that kind of financial resources.

However, Yan Zhenwei clearly wasn't concerned about the price: "This...this is a history of modern and contemporary art..."

"To better preserve these works, I have hired teachers from several art academies to make copies and reproductions of them," Zhou Zhi said. "The painting 'First Clear Day' was commissioned to the Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts, 'Ten Thousand Waters and Mountains' to the Anhui Academy of Fine Arts, 'Peaceful Farming in the Land' to the Capital Academy of Fine Arts, and 'Returning Home' and 'Second Brother Leaving Sichuan' to the Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts. As for Mr. Zhang Daqian's 'Clouds and Mountains over the Wu Gorge,' I would like to ask him to make a copy."

"This is such an honor... Thank you, thank you, elbow." Yan Zhenwei is a first-generation disciple of Dafengtang, so her understanding of her master's paintings is naturally deeper than that of other painters. Among Zhang Daqian's splashed-ink technique, she currently has the deepest skill and can imitate it to a lifelike degree. It is only natural that Zhou Zhi entrusted this task to her.

However, Yan Zhenwei did not see it that way. She believed that this was an opportunity for Zhou Zhi to study her master's masterpiece, an opportunity that was priceless. Naturally, she felt both honored and apprehensive.

"Let's look at the others first. It's quite unexpected that you have so many good things hidden away, Elbow!" Master Ma exclaimed. He knew that Zhou Zhi collected works by modern and contemporary painters. After all, with the support of Old Master Wang and his wife, and the deep roots of Yuan Lao in the Capital Academy of Painting and Rongbaozhai, he had close relationships with many calligraphy and painting collectors in Beijing. Whenever these collectors had works to sell, the old couple would think of Zhou Zhi first, feeling uneasy about handing those works over to others.

Thanks to Zhou Zhi's own efforts, this exhibition hall now also features smaller representative works such as Fu Baoshi's "Orchid Pavilion Scroll", Huang Binhong's "Mountain Journey Scroll", and Xu Beihong's "Double Galloping Horses Scroll".

These are not all. For example, in addition to "Clouds and Mountains over Wuxia Gorge", Zhouzhi also has Zhang Daqian's "Seeking Inspiration in Bamboo Creek", a couplet in the central hall, a copy of a Bodhisattva image from Dunhuang, and "Spring Clouds and Dawn Mist" in small splashed ink, etc.

Now only "Spring Clouds and Dawn Mist" is displayed, placed next to "Wuxia Clouds and Mountains," like a small painting.

Besides the large-scale works by the first-tier artists such as Huang Binhong, Xu Beihong, Zhang Daqian, Pan Tianshou, and Li Keran, there are also representative medium-sized works by Li Kuchan, Ren Bonian, Wu Changshuo, Qi Baishi, Liu Haisu, Lin Fengmian, Chang Yu, and Fu Baoshi, as well as excellent works by the second-tier artists such as Guan Shanyue, Dong Shouping, Lu Yanshao, Shi Lu, Huang Zhou, Jiang Zhaohe, Zhang Shanzi, Gao Jianfu, Gao Qifeng, Wu Hufan, Hu Peihang, Lin Sanzhi, Zeng Xi, He Weipu, and Pu Ru.

Therefore, Yan Zhenwei's statement that it is "a history of modern and contemporary Chinese art" is not an exaggeration.

Many of these paintings came from arts and crafts markets across the country, especially those in Sichuan, Shanghai, and Beijing. Some were even bought by Fei Guan, Mr. and Mrs. Wang, Xu Bangda, Luo Qianhe, and others, who insisted on acquiring them despite the cost.

Many of these are major bargains, such as Qi Baishi. His paintings were not previously comparable in price to those of the top-tier painters, but in recent years they have emerged as a dark horse, becoming sought-after both domestically and internationally, with prices rising again and again.

The museum's painting display is ingeniously designed, arranged chronologically from newest to oldest. The further you walk, the older the paintings become. When you reach the staircase and are about to go up to the third floor, a long glass display case appears in the middle of the wide staircase. The glass case displays two sets of Mao porcelain: one set of 98-head peach blossom porcelain with water droplets, and the other set of 47-head underglaze red plum blossom porcelain.

Going upstairs from here, the display of paintings enters the ancient era, and another important category of Zhouzhi's collections—porcelain—also begins to be included.

The staircase is divided into two sections, one going up and one going down, separated in the middle by a porcelain display case, which displays 7501 porcelain, Hongxian porcelain, and Dayazhai porcelain.

Then came the porcelain from the Guangxu period up to the porcelain of the three Qing emperors.

On one side of the wall are also paintings and calligraphy works by famous Qing Dynasty artists.

As you ascend to the third floor, you can see a large blue-and-white porcelain plate depicting the story of the King bidding farewell to his black horse, a pair of famille rose vases with dragon and phoenix handles on a green ground, a large polychrome vase with double lion handles depicting a child peeping at a play, a covered bowl with peach, chrysanthemum, peony, and pomegranate floral patterns in enamel, a high-footed cup with lotus patterns in famille rose, a lotus seed cup with ten thousand flowers on the ground in famille rose, and a horseshoe-shaped cup with round floral patterns in doucai.

Then there are eight pieces including Kangxi Doucai Orchid, Peony, and Lotus Bell Cups; Hard-color Twelve Months Flower Cups; Maidservant Flower Pattern; Three Kingdoms Drama Tiles; Flower and Bird Pattern Flower and Water Chestnut; Five-color Insect, Bamboo, and Chrysanthemum Pattern Plates; Kui Dragon Pattern Peony Lotus Monk's Cap Pot; Rabbit-marked Blue and White Wang Bao's "Ode to a Wise Ruler and His Virtuous Ministers" Brush Pot; Cowpea Red Kiln-transformed Pomegranate Vase; and Langhong Garlic-head Flower and Water Chestnut.

Two sets of six enamel-painted floral cups from the Yongzheng period; a porcelain clock with a design of apricot blossoms, willows, and swallows; a porcelain clock with a design of nandina and plum blossoms; and an imperial kiln-transformed rose-purple imitation Jun ware tripod.

In addition, there are Shunzhi five-color dragon-patterned brush holders and doucai three-abundance cups.

Apart from the brush holder inscribed with "Ode to the Holy Ruler and His Wise Ministers," the rest were all official kiln wares. Now it was Master Ma's turn to be dumbfounded: "They are basically all... porcelain made by imperial decree?"

"What does 'ordered by imperial decree' mean? Aren't the most prestigious porcelain pieces made in ancient times from official kilns?" Yan Zhenwei wasn't very knowledgeable about porcelain, but that didn't stop her from appreciating the exquisite designs on these pieces, so she asked.

Master Ma explained: "Qing Dynasty imperial porcelain can be roughly divided into three categories. The first category is the Grand Canal porcelain, which is the official kiln porcelain in the traditional understanding. It was made annually with a fixed quota, and it could be fired without waiting for imperial orders. Then it was sent to the Imperial Household Department for verification."

"The second category of tribute porcelain is further divided into new porcelain and ancient porcelain. During the Qing Dynasty, emperors would receive tributes from the imperial family and officials on occasions such as their birthdays, New Year's Day, and Dragon Boat Festival. These tributes were known as the Longevity Tribute, the New Year Tribute, and the Dragon Boat Festival Tribute. In addition, there were Mid-Autumn Festival Tribute, Lantern Festival Tribute, and so on."

"Among these tribute items, besides some newly made porcelains that were cleverly disguised and exquisitely crafted, such as the famous Kangxi blue and white longevity porcelain vase, there were also a large number of ancient porcelains from various dynasties. For example, during the Kangxi Emperor's sixtieth birthday celebration, eighty-eight pieces from famous kilns of various dynasties were presented as tribute and entered the palace collection. Later, due to the enthusiasm and preference of emperors such as Yongzheng and Qianlong for porcelain collecting, a large number of ancient ceramic treasures began to be consciously and systematically collected in the Qing Palace, greatly enriching the palace's ceramic collection."

"The third category is porcelain made according to official orders. This category is further divided into 'porcelain made according to official documents' and 'porcelain made according to imperial decrees.' Porcelain made according to official documents is porcelain made according to official documents issued by government offices, while porcelain made according to imperial decrees is porcelain made directly according to the emperor's orders." (End of this chapter)