Riding the wind of rebirth

“This item is definitely not from the Yongzheng reign, because the blue enamel mark is unique to the Yongzheng imperial kilns. The imperial kilns were located inside the Forbidden City, and the kiln openings were very small. The porcelain was first fired in Jingdezhen to produce white clay, and then after being carefully selected, it was sent to the imperial kiln for secondary processing. The finished products were all extremely exquisite and top-quality porcelain.”

"But the kilns of the Yongzheng imperial kiln were very small, so they could only fire small and exquisite porcelain. The size of this bottle has exceeded the limit of the palace's production."

"What era is this thing from?"

"This is from the late Qing Dynasty or early Republic of China period to be precise," Zhou Zhi said. "There is actually a special history about this kind of porcelain."

"After the Qing Dynasty abdicated, the Imperial Kiln Factory actually continued to exist and was not dissolved. A Dutchman spent 30,000 taels of silver to 'contract' the Imperial Kiln Factory, renovated the kilns, and produced a large number of enamel porcelains. The products that originally belonged to the official kilns were exported."

“These porcelains are very similar to those from the official kilns of the late Qing Dynasty. The enamel is old, and the blue pigment is also old. However, the body is very thin, and the firing process is also very special. Very few of them remain in China, and they are basically exported abroad. They have a special name abroad, which is ‘Republic of China porcelain’.”

"Its distinctive feature is that the enamel used in the glaze, in addition to having a glassy texture, is more oily and lustrous than all previous enamel porcelains. The reason for this is that a special imported blending oil called 'Dolmen oil' was used."

"The enamel porcelain painted with Dörmen oil will gradually lose its oily luster over time, and be replaced by a warm, jade-like luster. However, Dörmen oil was discontinued by the end of the Qing Dynasty. Therefore, this batch of porcelain exported from the imperial kilns, which was defined as 'Republic of China porcelain' abroad, became the last batch of enamel porcelain to use Dörmen oil."

"Whether or not Dormant oil was used, and the 'oiliness' it produces on porcelain, as well as the degree to which the oiliness of the enamel enamel fades, are key criteria for determining whether it is Qing Dynasty enamel porcelain, Republic of China enamel porcelain, or modern enamel porcelain."

"This Phoenix Seeking Phoenix vase, in terms of its body, glaze, and luster, conforms to the characteristics of porcelain from the Imperial Kiln Factory during the Republic of China period. Although it is not very old, in terms of both materials and craftsmanship, it can be said to be the last glimmer of Qing Dynasty official kiln porcelain. In some aspects, it even surpasses the famous 'Hongxian porcelain'. However, it is more numerous than the Hongxian porcelain kiln, and the collectors classify it as a folk kiln work. Therefore, its value is far less than that of Hongxian porcelain, let alone the enamelware of the Yongzheng period."

"But this is considered to be the pinnacle of folk kiln porcelain. The craftsmanship is excellent, and its appreciation potential is definitely huge. The theme of this vase is also auspicious. You two should keep it as a treasure."

"I'm relieved that it's not a genuine product of this dynasty," the godfather said with a smile.

He said it quite naturally, but to Zhou Zhi it sounded utterly absurd.

Indeed, being diagnosed as a counterfeit is even more gratifying than finding it to be genuine; who has ever seen such a situation?
Zhou Zhi also inquired about the condition of the calligraphy and painting collection in the museum. Due to historical reasons, many museums in China currently have a significant backlog in this area, resulting in many museums having works in poor condition despite having a collection. Without careful restoration, these works cannot be exhibited to the public.

"Anyway, you and I can't be relied on," the godfather said. "Fortunately, there are two people in Manzhou with the same level of talent as you, so you don't have to worry about that."

"Oh? How come I've never heard of such a master?" Zhou Zhi asked in surprise.

"How could I not have heard of them?" The godmother couldn't help but laugh. "Silly boy, they're talking about your fourth cousin and his wife!"

“Yes, now we need to take advantage of the city’s outstanding mounting talent and have your fourth uncle and aunt train a team of calligraphy and painting restorers. Just like your apprentice!” The godfather waved his hand, showing great determination. “You mean Langri Zhuoma? She’s living the good life now.” Zhou Zhi laughed, “She uses all kinds of antique-style silk and paper freely, and her skills are improving by leaps and bounds. She called me a couple of days ago and said that the museum has agreed to let her work on the Hongwu Southern Canon and the Book of Chen. In terms of seniority, my fourth cousin is her grandmaster. I’ll have her visit Jiachuan another day.”

“You must teach her well,” the godmother said. “It’s not easy for a Tibetan girl to be so passionate about restoring Chinese classics.”

“She’s a true all-rounder,” Zhou Zhi said with a smile. “Besides Chinese classics, she can also restore Tibetan palm-leaf scriptures and Thangkas. She’s a top student in the fine arts department, specializing in traditional Chinese painting, oil painting, and Tibetan Buddhist statues. With such a foundation and talent, she really seems to be handling restoration with ease.”

"It's just that this girl doesn't consider the costs when she does things. Even if my stock is counterfeit, it's still really expensive!"

"Hahaha..." Godmother couldn't help but laugh: "I've heard this story from your fourth cousin as well. He said that when you were learning mounting and framing, you spent a lot of money on Xuan paper. It's like a young boy outliving his father, which is another way of saying it. Isn't this a rule passed down within the school?"

Zhou Zhi could only smile sheepishly: "It seems that without some financial strength, you can't even take on apprentices. That's too much of a loss!"

But his godfather wasn't going to let him off the hook: "I don't care about anything else, but the museum's restoration materials will depend on you from now on. I'm planning to hire your fourth cousin and his wife as consultants for the calligraphy and painting restoration department, so they can work directly with you."

Zhou Zhi quickly cupped his hands and begged for mercy: "Godfather, you can just work with me. We have too many outstanding debts in the framing and mounting business, and I'm really afraid they'll come after us."

"Oh right." Zhou Zhi reminded the godfather, "Have those thirty-odd scrolls of Qing Dynasty court paintings you received been restored and mounted yet?"

"No," Zhou Zhi replied matter-of-factly. "I only finished restoring Lang Shining's 'White Falcon,' Yu Zhiding's 'Releasing the Pheasant,' Jiao Bingzhen's 'One Hundred Children,' and Leng Mei's 'Nine Thoughts.' But that's easy to fob off. I asked Professor Yan Zhenwei to copy several of Zhang Daqian's large paintings while also reproducing the restored court paintings. Restoring them too quickly would put too much pressure on her, which wouldn't be good."

"Yan Zhenwei is Zhang Daqian's only female disciple, right? I think I've seen her mentioned somewhere." My godfather is quite familiar with the cultural heritage of Sichuan.

"It's her." Zhou Zhi smiled. "She's always wanted to see Mr. Zhang Daqian's masterpiece of splashed ink painting, but she hasn't had the chance. This time, I'm having her stay at the museum to copy it. I'll also make a few small requests. That's not too much to ask, is it?"

A single sentence made everyone laugh again, and the topic finally shifted back to lighthearted topics such as collecting Yangtze River stones.

My godparents were delighted with this garlic-flavored fish dish. My godmother even gave it the highest praise that people in Sichuan give to this type of dish: "Save the broth for noodles tomorrow."

Just before leaving, his godfather finally inquired about Zhou Zhi's studies, then reminded him not to forget his literary creation when he had time, which frightened Zhou Zhi so much that he grabbed Mai Xiaomiao and fled in panic. (End of Chapter)