Upon hearing that there were old dzi beads to see, Old Master Gu immediately exposed Qian Yaosi's true colors.
"Who said that? I bet with Brother Zhuang on ceramics. I definitely have a genuine piece in this room. Whether we can find it or not depends entirely on Brother Zhuang's skills. Brother Gu, you can't be so sabotaging your brother like this. Brother Zhuang already said that he'll let you see as much as you want in a bit. Come on, let's have some tea and catch up. Brother Zhuang, please continue. If you can find it, the item is yours for free."
Qian Yaosi was very unconvinced after hearing what Brother Gu said. Although he did not believe that Zhuang Rui could find the item, he was absolutely not deceiving Zhuang Rui. He had just played a little trick.
There were more than twenty ceramic pieces on the table. Zhuang Rui had looked at eighteen or nineteen of them, but none of them contained any spiritual energy. There were still five or six ceramic pieces left, and Zhuang Rui continued to look at them.
The invention of pottery far surpassed that of porcelain and is an important symbol of the Neolithic Age in primitive society. Most Neolithic pottery was plain and undecorated, while some sand-tempered pottery was decorated with patterns. It was not until the Western Han Dynasty that the technique of glazing pottery began to spread widely.
The Tang tri-colored horse that Zhuang Rui saw at the black market on the grassland was also a type of pottery. The emergence of Tang tri-colored pottery also marked the beginning of a more diverse range of pottery types and colors.
There was also a piece of tricolor pottery on the table, but compared to the tricolor horse on the grassland, its firing quality was far inferior. At least Zhuang Rui could tell the difference between the real and fake without using his spiritual energy.
After pretending to examine all the items on the table with a magnifying glass, Zhuang Rui was dumbfounded. They were all fake. Could it be that not all the real old objects contained spiritual energy?
Chapter 124 Attempt to Steal a Chicken Backfires (5)
Zhuang Rui was afraid he might have missed something. So he used his spiritual energy to sort through all the ceramic items on the table again, but the result was the same as before: none of the more than twenty ceramic items contained spiritual energy.
According to Qian Yaosi, one of these items should be genuine. However, Zhuang Rui's eyes have never been wrong when distinguishing objects. "Could there really be antiques without spiritual energy?"
For a moment, Zhuang Rui was also unsure. Just because it hadn't happened didn't mean it didn't exist; perhaps such a situation really did exist.
This thought made Zhuang Rui feel very frustrated. Once he lost his cheating methods that had always worked, Zhuang Rui felt that he was no different from ordinary people who were new to the antique business. Faced with this large pile of ceramic jars, he had no idea where to start. Because it concerned his string of dzi beads, Zhuang Rui did not dare to act rashly and randomly point out one as genuine.
Qian Yaosi and Gu Lao appeared to be brewing tea and drinking together, but their attention was actually focused on Zhuang Rui. Seeing that Zhuang Rui had finished appraising all the ceramics on the table, Qian Yaosi couldn't help but say, "Brother Zhuang, how was it? I already told you that the Kangxi blue and white porcelain was genuine, but you just didn't believe me. It's not that there aren't fine pieces from folk kilns with reign marks, it's just that they're relatively rare."
"Does that mean porcelain made in folk kilns doesn't have any spiritual energy? That shouldn't be the case. Spiritual energy doesn't have intelligence, so it doesn't distinguish between folk kilns and official kilns. Besides, the sandalwood root carving I found in Hefei was also carved by a folk artist, so it also has spiritual energy."
Upon hearing Qian Yaosi's words, Zhuang Rui had a thought, but he quickly dismissed it. However, among the pile of ceramic objects in front of him, there was indeed not a single one containing spiritual energy, which puzzled Zhuang Rui greatly.
"Wooden Head, if you can't tell, then forget it. We won't sell him the dzi bead. What are you going to do if he tries to steal it? Let's just leave and stop dawdling here..."
Seeing Zhuang Rui standing there, head tilted, deep in thought, Liu Chuan said irritably, "This whole thing is inherently unfair. I don't know how this blockhead Zhuang Rui agreed."
Zhuang Rui waved his hand, telling Liu Chuan not to disturb him. He vaguely felt that he had fallen into a trap, as if the fat old man had set a snare for him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong. So he was now recalling their conversation, trying to find some clues from the source.
"Woof...woof woof..."
Perhaps it was thirsty from eating fish, or perhaps it was bored because Zhuang Rui was ignoring it, but the little white lion started barking at the two old folks who were drinking tea together. Qin Xuanbing, who was sitting to the side, called out to it, but it ignored her and kept barking. This startled Zhuang Rui, who was deep in thought.
"White Lion, come here..."
"Hey...hey, Brother Zhuang, that's a Kangxi blue and white porcelain bowl, worth hundreds of thousands, not a washbasin for feeding dogs! If it breaks or gets damaged, are you going to pay for it?"
Zhuang Rui reached out and summoned the little white lion. He casually picked up the so-called Kangxi folk kiln blue and white porcelain masterpiece that Qian Yaosi had mentioned on the table, put it on the ground, took out a bottle of mineral water from his backpack, and poured it in. This action greatly displeased Qian Yaosi, who shouted loudly.
"Come on, Manager Qian, if this is a genuine Kangxi blue and white porcelain, then my dzi bead must have been worn by the Buddha himself. How about we change the way we bet? If this is a genuine Kangxi blue and white porcelain, I'll sell the dzi bead to you. If it's a fake, then we'll call it even, and the previous bet will be considered as never having been made. What do you think?"
Zhuang Rui also realized that he couldn't keep being led by the nose by this old fox, so he said the words above.
Sure enough, after hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Qian Yaosi chuckled and said, "Brother Zhuang has a good eye. Let's not take this bet. That blue and white porcelain is just a fake, hehe. But Brother Zhuang, you still haven't found the real item in my shop!"
"The genuine items in my shop, my shop... my shop..."
As Zhuang Rui watched Qian Yaosi's smug expression, Qian Yaosi's words kept echoing in his mind. It was as if a bright light had been lit in the darkness, illuminating Zhuang Rui's thoughts.
Zhuang Rui finally understood. It turned out that the fat old man had been plotting something when he first asked the shop assistant to take down these ceramic items. He wanted to lure him into thinking that the so-called genuine item was among these ceramic pieces. However, when Qian Yaosi first spoke, he only said that the item was in the shop, not that it was among these ceramic pieces.
The fat old man was very successful, and Zhuang Rui was indeed tricked by him. Zhuang Rui had been feeling something was wrong, but he couldn't figure out what it was. Now, after hearing Qian Yaosi's words, he suddenly understood. Looking around, there were no ceramic items on the table in the shop, although there were a few, there were still three or five pieces.
Zhuang Rui understood this point, and the confidence he had almost lost returned. He laughed and said, "Manager Qian, all the items you had brought over are fake. The genuine item you mentioned is in the shop. Please put out all the remaining ceramic items in the shop."
"Hey, Brother Zhuang, there are only a few items in this room. You can see them all at a glance. There aren't many left. You can keep an eye on them while I catch up with Brother Gu..."
Qian Yaosi's chubby face was now smiling somewhat forcedly. He hadn't expected Zhuang Rui to be so convinced that none of the ceramic objects on the table were real. Of course, he knew they were all fake, but Zhuang Rui's ability to tell the difference at such a young age was quite unexpected.
While Qian Yaosi was talking to Zhuang Rui, his eyes glanced at the store entrance intentionally or unintentionally. Although he immediately looked away, Zhuang Rui still noticed this detail.
Following Qian Yaosi's gaze, Zhuang Rui saw a wooden shelf, about 30 centimeters high, on the right side of the shop entrance. It looked like it was made of rosewood. On the shelf, there was a blue and white porcelain teapot with lotus scroll design, about half a meter high. Because of its relatively large size, the shop assistants hadn't moved it.
"Old fox, leaving such a large, open object at the entrance without worrying about it being accidentally broken by passersby, this must be it."
Zhuang Rui was secretly delighted. This old guy was really cunning. Such a big object was placed there, and he hadn't even noticed it. He must have taken advantage of his "blind spot" mentality. The more obvious the object, the less attention it would attract.
"Little one, no matter how cunning you are, you still have to drink this old man's foot bath water..."
Qian Yaosi noticed that Zhuang Rui's attention was drawn to the blue-and-white lotus-patterned teapot by the door. A faint smile appeared on his lips, and he felt smug. He turned back to drink tea with Gu Lao, but he didn't show any smugness.
This blue-and-white porcelain ewer with a lotus scroll design is approximately 50 centimeters tall, with a circular foot and rounded belly. It has a long neck and straight mouth, giving it a dignified and simple form. The blue-and-white lotus scroll design is painted in a single, flowing stroke, while the dragon motif is subtly engraved on the body, with its eyes highlighted in underglaze blue. The entire piece is ingeniously conceived, meticulously crafted, and boasts a pure glaze. Even an expert might initially mistake it for an authentic antique.
Zhuang Rui circled the lotus-patterned teapot several times, comparing it with the knowledge of blue and white porcelain he had memorized, but couldn't find any flaws. However, Zhuang Rui wasn't very confident in his half-baked appreciation skills, so he had to use his spiritual energy in his eyes to find out the truth in the end.
"Damn it, that old fox deliberately tricked me..."
The moment the spiritual energy appeared, the truth was immediately revealed. The lotus-patterned teapot was completely empty, without a trace of spiritual energy. Zhuang Rui was filled with regret, realizing he was still lacking in experience. They say old people are shrewd, and that's absolutely true. This fat old man had set a trap for him with just a glance. If it weren't for the spiritual energy, he probably would have been completely fooled by this old fox.
"This little guy is really quite troublesome..."
Although he was having a long talk with Brother Gu sitting next to him, and occasionally chatting with Qin Xuanbing and others, Qian Yaosi's eyes were always on Zhuang Rui out of the corner of his eye. Now he saw Zhuang Rui leave the porcelain at the door and wander around the shop again.
Qian Yaosi was starting to get impatient. He hadn't expected that Zhuang Rui would see through the best imitations of these porcelain pieces in the shop. For a moment, he put away his contempt. After filling the teacups in front of Brother Gu and Qin Xuanbing with tea, he casually placed the purple clay teapot in his hand on the tea tray in front of him. However, this position was exactly where his body blocked the light in the shadows.
Zhuang Rui was getting impatient. He wandered around the shop and examined the remaining ceramic items with his eyes, but none of them contained any spiritual energy. He began to wonder if the fat old man had been lying to him.
"Manager Qian, are you sure this large antique item in the shop is indeed a piece of ceramic?"
Zhuang Rui was getting tired of standing. He had looked at everything in the shop that was related to ceramics, so he simply sat back down next to Qian Yaosi, picked up the cup of tea in front of Liu Chuan, and drank it.
"Of course, would I, an old man, lie to you? So, if you can't find it, you should admit defeat."
When Qian Yaosi saw Zhuang Rui pinch the purple clay cup with two fingers, a hint of panic flashed in his eyes.
Chapter 125 Attempt to Steal a Chicken Backfires (6)
Zhuang Rui didn't answer Qian Yaosi's question. Instead, he was thinking about where he had gone wrong. The shop was so small that it was easy to see through. He had already looked at all the ceramics in the shop, and none of them were genuine. Besides, since it was an opening item used for "fishing," it should have been placed in a more conspicuous place, not hidden in a corner.
While pondering his thoughts, Zhuang Rui searched for a teapot on the table. The dishes he had eaten tonight were a bit salty, and he was feeling thirsty. The cup was too small, and one sip of tea wasn't enough to quench his thirst.
Zhuang Rui looked around the table before noticing the small purple clay teapot, which was only slightly larger than a fist, covered by Qian Yaosi's chubby hand. He said with dissatisfaction, "Boss Qian, why are you holding onto that teapot? You're not that stingy to ask for a little water."
"Hehe, how could that be? Let me pour tea for Brother Zhuang. This tea is Fujian Da Hong Pao. Although it doesn't grow on those six tea trees, it's still something you can't buy on the market. If it weren't for Brother Gu's visit today, and the fact that I got along well with these kids, I wouldn't have brought out this tea."
As Qian Yaosi refilled the teapot with water, he muttered to himself that Zhuang Rui had heard of the Da Hong Pao tea he mentioned when he was staying at the Song Army Tea House a while ago.
"Da Hong Pao," also known as the Cong tea tree, grows on the high cliffs of Jiulongke in Wuyi Mountain. The cliff face still retains a stone inscription of "Da Hong Pao" made by a monk from Tianxin Temple in 1927. This unique natural environment, characterized by short hours of direct sunlight, abundant reflected light, large temperature differences between day and night, and a constant trickle of spring water from the mountaintop, contributes to the exceptional quality of Da Hong Pao. There are currently six Da Hong Pao tea trees, all shrubbery, with thick leaves and delicate buds. It is steeped in numerous myths and legends, adding to its mystique. Its mystery lies first and foremost in its rarity. Historically, Da Hong Pao was scarce, and today, the universally recognized Da Hong Pao is found only on those few trees on the Jiulongke cliff face. Even in the best years, the yield is only a few hundred grams of tea.
Since ancient times, things have been valued for their rarity. Such a rare item naturally commands a hundredfold price. During the Republic of China era, one jin (500 grams) was worth 64 silver dollars, equivalent to 4,000 jin of rice at the time. A few years ago, the Jiulongke tea plantation was a vibrant reddish-brown. When sunlight shone on the tea trees and rocks, the reflection of the sunlight made the reddish hue very eye-catching.
The reason why Da Hong Pao tea attracts so much attention is not only because when its tea leaves were auctioned on the market, 20 grams of which fetched a sky-high price of 156,800 yuan, setting a new record for the highest price per unit of tea! Such a rare and precious tea is something that ordinary people can hardly see, let alone appreciate.
Upon hearing Qian Yaosi say it was Da Hong Pao tea, Zhuang Rui paid some attention. However, tea tasting is not something that can be learned in a short time. He tasted it and felt that it didn't taste as good as the tea brewed by the tea masters in the Song Army's teahouse.
"Mr. Qian, you've really hidden this item well. I'm truly impressed... Oh, hehe, I really have to thank you, Manager Qian, today. I've recently taken a liking to tea, but unfortunately, I don't have a good tea set. It's rare for you to be so generous, Manager Qian, so I'll politely decline."
Zhuang Rui had already decided to admit defeat, but he didn't intend to sell the dzi bead. As he was thinking about how to decline, his eyes inadvertently swept over the purple clay cup in his hand, and a thought crossed his mind.
The scope of pottery is very broad. Qin bricks and Han tiles are pottery, and terracotta warriors can also be considered pottery. This purple clay cup is naturally also pottery. Therefore, Zhuang Rui did not continue to say that he had conceded defeat. Instead, he used his spiritual energy to examine the cup. Sure enough, it contained a large amount of spiritual energy. Although the color was white, the amount of spiritual energy was comparable to that of the purple sandalwood Maitreya Buddha root carving.
"Hahaha, you greedy old man, all your scheming has finally been exposed. Worth it, this trip was definitely worth it. Who would have thought the infamous greedy old man would actually stumble? Hahaha..."
At this moment, the only one laughing out loud was the old man. Qian Yaosi's fat face was all scrunched up in worry, and he looked so pitiful that Zhuang Rui almost couldn't bring himself to ask for the teapot. However, thinking about how awful the fat old man was, Zhuang Rui still asked for it.
It can be said that Qian Yaosi really schemed everything. No one expected that he would take out this old object, which was so authentic, and use it. Normally, he would put it in a conspicuous place to attract customers. Zhuang Rui still can't understand why, according to Qian Yaosi, this Zisha teapot should be worth hundreds of thousands. Why would this old man be willing to use it like an ordinary object? What if he accidentally broke it? Wouldn't he regret it?
Although Zhuang Rui had learned some knowledge about Yixing teapots during this period, he was still not very clear about collecting them. One of the advantages of Yixing teapots is that they can "capture the aroma and release heat." With prolonged use, they can absorb the fragrance of tea and develop an oily luster. Some people say that the longer a Yixing teapot is used, the more valuable it becomes, which is exactly the point.
When Qian Yaosi wasn't in the shop, this set of Yixing teapots was naturally maintained using normal methods. However, when he came, he would always use the teapot to brew a cup of tea and chat with old friends. Today, he had made an appointment with Vice Chairman Gu of the Jewelry Association, so he arrived at the shop early, brewed some tea, and waited. Unexpectedly, he was greeted by Zhuang Rui and his group first.
Seeing Qian Yaosi's expression, Qin Xuanbing and the others knew that Zhuang Rui had won the bet. Although they were a little confused, they were all very happy. Liu Chuan even snatched the purple clay cup from Zhuang Rui's hand and examined it over and over, trying to figure out how this broken thing could be worth hundreds of thousands.
Seeing Qian Yaosi's bitter face and silent expression, Liu Chuan teased, "Old Mr. Qian, aren't you regretting it now?"
"This is truly a case of the younger generation surpassing the older one! Brother Gu, we're all getting old, it's up to these young people to take over from now on. Brother Zhuang, don't worry, although I, Old Man Qian, love money, I've never gone back on my word. This set of purple clay teapots, I'll pack it up later, you can take it with you!"
Qian Yaosi looked somewhat dejected. Since he was old enough to understand things, he had never suffered such a loss. Although he had made mistakes and paid his dues in the antique business, those were only expenses of ten or twenty thousand dollars. Just a few days ago, a Hong Kong businessman had offered him four hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars for this set of teapots. Due to the rising prices of Yixing teapots in recent years, especially the excellent works of modern masters, which often exceed the prices of famous Ming and Qing dynasty teapot makers, this set was in perfect condition, with a clear provenance, and had great potential for appreciation. Qian Yaosi hadn't agreed to sell it then. He never imagined that in the blink of an eye, it would become someone else's.
"Old man, if I may ask, who is your teacher, young man Zhuang? You are so knowledgeable at such a young age, it's truly remarkable. By the way, since you can tell me that this teapot is an authentic antique, could you tell me its origin? Of course, this set of Yixing teapots is already yours, so it doesn't matter if you can't tell me."
Qian Yaosi is a man who has seen many ups and downs. Although this pot is worth several hundred thousand, it is just a drop in the ocean compared to his wealth. It is only natural that he felt disappointed just now. After all, if a bet that was supposed to be won by a sure thing is suddenly overturned, no one would feel comfortable.
As Qian Yaosi spoke, he handed the teapot to Zhuang Rui. Zhuang Rui first poured out the remaining water from the teapot, then turned it over and looked at the inscription on the bottom. There was a square seal with the three characters "Zhu Kexin" written on it.
Upon seeing this inscription, Zhuang Rui couldn't help but chuckle. Although his expertise in appraising antiques was not particularly outstanding, Zhuang Rui possessed an exceptionally good memory. Not long ago, he had come across the name Zhu Kexin in a book introducing Yixing clay artists, and her unique contributions to modern Yixing clay teapots had left a deep impression on him.
Zhu Kexin was born in Dingshu Town, Yixing City in 1904. His original name was Zhu Kaichang. His art name "Kexin" means "humble person" and "worthy of learning". It also has the meaning of "a cup of water in the mountains can purify the heart of heaven and earth". In 1931, Zhu Kexin was hired as a kiln worker at Jiangsu Provincial Yixing Ceramic Vocational School. During this time, he created purple clay coffee sets. The following year, he carefully made the Yunlong Ding and Zhujie Ding to participate in the Chicago World's Fair in the United States and won the "Special Grade Award". Zhuang Rui was impressed by him because of this.
Zhu Kexin's early work, "Bamboo Tripod," was even collected by Soong Mei-ling. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he produced even more exquisite works. In December 1953, when invited to participate in the "National Folk Artists' Imitation Conference" organized by the Ministry of Culture, his work "Cloud Dragon Teapot" shone brightly. In 1956, he was appointed as a Zisha (purple clay) forming technology instructor. He designed and created teapots such as Round Pine, Bamboo and Plum, Squirrel and Grape, One-Section Bamboo, and Antique Bamboo Handle, which were exhibited in Sri Lanka and other countries in the "China Arts and Crafts Touring Exhibition" and won first prize. These works are now in the collection of Nanjing Museum. "Mr. Qian, this set of Zisha teapots should be a work from Zhu Kexin's middle age, right? The body of this 'Cloud Dragon Teapot' is decorated with summer clouds, which are ever-changing and have a continuous flow of energy. The image is vivid. I suppose it is the Cloud Dragon Teapot that Zhu Kexin made in 1953. Moreover, this set of eleven pieces is well preserved, which is also very rare. I wonder if what you said is correct?"
Zhuang Rui counted them; the set of Zisha teapot, including coasters, teacups, and lids, consisted of eleven pieces. Each piece had an inscription on its bottom. What was remarkable was that the set of Zisha teaware was completely undamaged, and the patina was smooth and natural. Even to an outsider like Zhuang Rui, it was clear that it was an extraordinary piece. It was no exaggeration to say that it was an authentic item.
"To be honest with you two gentlemen, I only recently became fascinated with collecting. I've read some books on the subject, but no one has really guided me through the process."
Zhuang Rui's words are not wrong. Uncle De had tried to teach him some knowledge about appreciating antiques time and time again, but Zhuang Rui was not interested in this business at that time. His knowledge of Zisha teapots and Zhu Kexin was really from books.
Chapter 126 Bronze Bodhisattva
Zhuang Rui's words left Qian Yaosi and Gu Lao looking at each other in disbelief. Although it's true that in the antique business, a master can guide you in, but the rest is up to you, the master who guides you is extremely important.
Because these old objects have been passed down for hundreds or even thousands of years, and are the culmination of the hard work and wisdom of our predecessors, it is also necessary to have a wealth of theoretical knowledge and long-term experience in handling and playing with them in order to identify their authenticity. Theoretical knowledge can be learned from books, but the experience of handling real objects cannot be understood by reading a few books. This is where the guidance of a master is needed, which can also help one avoid some detours.
Of course, there are also those who are self-taught without a master, like Uncle De from Zhonghai. He ran errands in the pawnshops of Zhonghai from a young age. Although no one taught him, Uncle De was quick-witted, intelligent, and eager to learn. He paid close attention to the words and actions of the shopkeepers, and when they were appraising items, he would try to get closer to them. In this way, through a lot of contact with the items, he gradually worked his way up from a junior clerk to the second-in-command, and then from the second-in-command to the head shopkeeper. If the pawnshop industry hadn't been abolished after liberation, Uncle De probably would have opened his own shop long ago.
However, even after a lifetime of collecting antiques, Qian Yaosi and Old Master Gu had never encountered a case like Zhuang Rui's. Firstly, Zhuang Rui was too young. At his age, unless one came from a family of collectors or a wealthy clan, it would be difficult for him to come into contact with a large number of genuine antiques. Secondly, he was able to distinguish between genuine and fake high-quality porcelain pieces based solely on knowledge he had learned from books. These two points were enough to astound the two old men.
"Brother Gu, compared to Brother Zhuang, we've lived this long life, but at our age, we've really wasted our lives. By the way, Brother Zhuang, are you willing to sell your celestial pearl? This old man is genuinely interested in buying it, and I don't mind paying a higher price, as long as you're willing to sell..."
Qian Yaosi still couldn't forget Zhuang Rui's old dzi beads. After subtly praising Zhuang Rui while belittling himself, he brought up the idea of buying the dzi beads again.
“Mr. Qian, it’s not that your offer is low, but this dzi bead bracelet was personally bestowed upon me by the Living Buddha of Jokhang Temple. It has profound significance. Without the Living Buddha’s permission, I dare not give it to anyone else. Besides, it’s not appropriate to measure this dzi bead with money. Please understand my predicament.”
Zhuang Rui smiled and shook his head, stood up, looked around, and asked the shop assistant to take out a piece of silk from the counter where jade ornaments were displayed. He then spread it on the table, took off the dzi bead bracelet from his wrist, and placed it on the silk for the two to admire.
As mentioned earlier, dzi beads are gemstones with extremely strong magnetism. Generally, the magnetic field within dzi beads is more than three times stronger than that of crystal. The magnetic field of Zhuang Rui's old dzi beads is probably at least five times stronger than that of crystal. Moreover, when dzi beads come into contact with the human body, they will automatically adjust and release their magnetism according to the strength of the wearer's magnetic field. This is the principle behind the benefits of dzi beads to the body.
Everyone's magnetic field is different, so dzi beads are generally not allowed to be touched by people other than the owner, because doing so can easily cause the magnetic field of the dzi beads to become disordered.