"Hehe, thanks, Brother Ma."
Zhuang Rui was just joking with the others. He put the Red Bull aside and continued, "There are three ways to polish jade: 'Wenpan' (gentle polishing), 'Wupan' (vigorous polishing), and 'Yipan' (intentional polishing). Some people also call them 'Slow polishing,' 'Rapid polishing,' and 'Intentional polishing.' 'Wenpan' refers to placing a piece of jade in a small cloth bag and carrying it close to your body every day, using the relatively constant temperature of your body to nurture it. You have to wait until a year before you can rub and play with it in your hands until the jade returns to its original appearance."
The process of polishing jade is time-consuming and laborious, requiring patience and composure. It is also a method used by the ancients to cultivate their minds and character. Usually, after two or three years of polishing, the color patina of the ancient jade will only become slightly visible. If the jade has been buried for too long, it may take ten or even several decades to polish it. Let me tell you a little story. In the history of the Qing Dynasty, there was a famous story of a father and son polishing a piece of jade for two generations, spending their entire lives polishing it. This piece of jade was polished until it had a bright and lustrous patina. It is now in the collection of a museum in Beijing. Experts estimate that this piece of jade has been polished for more than 60 years.
This method of polishing is rarely used nowadays. However, if you encounter a piece of high-quality ancient jade with five or more colors of patina, it is still better to use this method to polish it, because only jade polished in this way will be truly precious.
Even jade artifacts of slightly inferior quality can fetch hundreds of thousands of yuan if they are polished using traditional methods over several decades.
For example, Hanhai Auction House recently auctioned a very ordinary jade pendant dating back to the Warring States period. However, it was in excellent condition, with beautiful patina and color, and sold for 2.09 million RMB.
"Youngest brother, mine is also Han jade, the price difference is outrageous!"
Upon hearing this, the fourth brother couldn't sit still any longer and interrupted Zhuang Rui. It wasn't that he thought Fatty Ma's offer was too low, but rather that he felt a bit unbalanced because these were all Han jade pieces and the prices differed so much.
Chapter 173 Pan Yu (Part 2)
"Outrageous? Fourth Brother, if you were to handle this jade with your hands for seven or eight years without ever parting from it, I guarantee you could sell it for several hundred thousand. If the quality of this jade were even slightly better, it wouldn't be surprising if it sold for over a million. How about you give the money back to Brother Ma and play with it yourself?"
Zhuang Rui smiled as he looked at Lao Si. Playing with jade is a delicate art. People who don't truly love jade usually can't stick with it and give up halfway. With Lao Si's temperament, it would be a long time if he could play with it for three to five weeks.
"Come on, you know I don't have that kind of patience. Tell me if there's any quick way to polish jade. If it's convenient, I'll go find another good piece of jade."
The fourth brother said sullenly, still harboring some resentment towards the jade disc.
"You think finding an antique jade is like buying cabbage at the market? You got lucky today. You just stumbled upon it by chance. Didn't you see that Wei Ge only found a Han Dynasty white porcelain piece?"
"Hey, why are you talking about me, youngest brother? Let's not get off topic. Tell me the rest of the methods for 'Pan Yu'."
The eldest brother was afraid that Zhuang Rui would reveal the story about the Han Dynasty porcelain he had mentioned that morning. If that got out, it would be incredibly embarrassing, so he quickly changed the subject.
"Well, we've already talked about the 'Wenpan' method. Now let's talk about the 'Wupan' method. The so-called 'Wupan' method involves using human force to continuously handle and play with the jade, hoping to quickly achieve the goal of becoming familiar with it. This method is more commonly used by jade merchants."
After a year of wearing and handling, the hardness of jade will gradually recover. Then, wrap it in an old white cloth (avoid colored cloth, it must be white) and hire someone to rub it continuously day and night, 24 hours a day. The jade will heat up from the friction and become hotter and hotter. After a period of time, replace it with a new white cloth and continue to rub it.
The high temperature generated by rubbing the jade can quickly force out the ash and soil buried deep underground. As the color and patina solidify, the jade's color will become increasingly vibrant. In about a year, the jade can be restored to its original state. However, this "fierce rubbing" is very risky. When rubbing, both hands must apply even force. If the force is uneven, the jade could be easily destroyed.
Unless you're in the jade business, if you manage to find a decent piece of antique jade, I personally recommend using the "slow polishing" method to nurture it. Although it takes a bit longer, the results are excellent. During the nurturing process, you'll also develop an emotional connection to the jade, which is what makes it more valuable.
Regardless of the "gentle polishing" or "vigorous polishing" methods, the longer ancient jade has been buried in the earth, the more difficult it is to bring out its original color and texture. This is because it has been exposed to the earth's energy for a longer period and has absorbed more of it. This energy penetrates deeper into the jade's structure, and its true luster only slowly emerges. Learning to appreciate ancient jade can be achieved by wearing just a few pieces and polishing them for a short time each day; this can cultivate one's refinement and patience.
In fact, when Zhuang Rui first saw the jade disc of the fourth brother, he also had the idea of picking it up himself. However, he had seen several ancient jade pieces belonging to Uncle De, the worst of which were three-color patina and were even made of mutton fat jade. So he looked down on this jade disc. However, he also had the idea of finding a good jade to play with at this jade gambling conference.
"Brother Zhuang, the 'Wenpan' and 'Wupan' you mentioned take quite a while, don't you think the Yipan could be done a little faster?"
This girl named Yanzi, although she always appeared very quiet, playing with a piece of jade for a year or even longer was not an easy task for her. After all, it was a piece of jade to play with. Men could hang it on their waist, but it was inconvenient for women to carry it close to their bodies. That's why Zhuang Rui mentioned earlier that not many girls play with jade.
"Intentional plate? Hehe, you've got it backwards. These days, I doubt anyone would use the intentional plate method to nurture jade."
"Intentional handling" refers to jade enthusiasts holding jade pieces in their hands, playing with and appreciating them while simultaneously reflecting on the virtues of jade. They continuously absorb the essence of these virtues to cultivate their own character. Over time, this can lead to a refined state of harmony between the jade and the person. This method was particularly popular among ancient scholars and literati.
The practice of "yipan" (意盘) not only nurtures the jade, but also elevates the spirit of the person who practices it. Yipan is an extremely high level of practice that requires a spirit of seclusion. Rather than saying that the person is playing with the jade, it is more accurate to say that the jade is playing with the person. The person and the jade become one, and their spirits become connected. We often say that ancient jade is spiritual, which refers to the realm of Yipan.
However, very few people in history have been able to reach such a spiritual realm, let alone restless modern people. Therefore, the "Yipan" (意盘) is just a legendary state; everyone should just listen to it as a story.
After saying so much, Zhuang Rui was genuinely thirsty. He picked up the drink that Fatty Ma had tossed him, opened it, and started drinking. All the knowledge he had just shared was instilled in him by Uncle De. Zhuang Rui had an excellent memory, and by showing it off now, no one present could see that he was just a paper tiger, all talk and no action.
As soon as Zhuang Rui finished speaking, Fatty Ma clapped his hands and said, "Brother Zhuang, what you said has really enlightened me. I used to just hold the jade in my hand and play with it, thinking that was all there was to it. I didn't know there were so many intricacies involved. I've really learned something new today. Brother, let's not go to Guangzhou tonight. Let's find a place to have a drink. I have some things to ask you."
"Youngest brother, you've really lived up to your reputation as the manager of this pawnshop. You're quite the expert when it comes to these things. I'll find a nice jade plate for myself sometime."
Wei Ge's eyes lit up as he listened. If he had an antique jade pendant hanging from his waist, and could play with it in his hand from time to time, he would be very proud to go out. He wasn't just playing with the jade; he was playing with a culture that had been passed down for five thousand years.
"Brother Wei, find me one too, I want to try it out."
Although Lao Si was somewhat averse to the idea that these ancient jade pieces came from tombs, he was also tempted. Of course, things that couldn't be sold couldn't be taken back, but with his and Wei Ge's wealth and background, it wouldn't be too difficult for them to find a piece of good quality ancient jade.
"Hey young man, have a smoke..."
A somewhat unfamiliar voice came from the side. Zhuang Rui looked up and was immediately dizzy. Originally, there were only him, Wei Ge, Lao Si, and Fatty Ma in the sofa area. Now, apart from the sofa he and Fatty Ma were sitting on, the other five or six sofas were completely full of people. There were also about ten people standing next to the sofas, all looking at him. Although Zhuang Rui had been a junior leader for a few days, he was still a little scared by this scene.
"Everyone, is there anything I can help you with?"
When out and about, Zhuang Rui couldn't very well refuse someone's offer of a cigarette. He reached out and took the cigarette, and someone else immediately lit it for him. This sudden attentiveness left Zhuang Rui quite bewildered.
The man who offered Zhuang Rui a cigarette chuckled and said, "Hehe, young man, don't misunderstand. I do enjoy collecting jade, but after buying it, I mostly just keep it at home. I didn't know that jade needed to be nurtured. After hearing what you said today, I realize that I've been playing around with it for the past ten years."
"Yes, I knew about polishing jade before, but I didn't know there were different techniques. I've learned something new today."
"Young man, can you tell me if there are any taboos associated with this jade plate?"
"Yes, yes, young man, tell me, don't let a good piece of jade end up stuck in your hands."
Hearing the conversations of the crowd around him, Zhuang Rui realized that they had overheard all his idle chatter. He felt a chill run down his spine; he wondered what they would think if they knew he was all talk and no action.
Zhuang Rui had learned all this knowledge from Uncle De, and he didn't really have much of his own insight into it. It had nothing to do with the boasting of Fatty Ma and the others. He was still a little nervous about discussing it in front of so many people. He stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Everyone, this is just my personal opinion. Please don't take it too seriously. You are all seniors, and everyone has their own way of playing with jade. I won't embarrass myself by offering my own opinion."
"It's alright, young man. Just tell me. I've been playing with jade for decades, and I only know about the fast and slow, gentle and vigorous methods of polishing. I don't know much about the intentional polishing you mentioned. I've learned something new today. Don't be afraid, just tell me..."
The speaker was an elderly man, who looked to be in his early sixties. He sat on the sofa opposite Zhuang Rui and encouraged Zhuang Rui to continue.
As people's living standards have improved in recent years, more and more people are collecting jade and antiques. However, most of them are beginners. They buy jade and put it at home to display. Some even make exquisite boxes to package it. For example, among the people gathered here, six or seven out of ten have never even heard of the term "playing with jade".
The "Yi Pan" method has long been abandoned and is rarely mentioned in the jade collecting circle. It was only occasionally mentioned by some literati before the liberation. That's how Uncle De learned about this method. Although the old man in front of him is not young, he also doesn't know about the "Yi Pan" method.
"Yeah, just say it, what are you dawdling for..."
An aged voice came from the back of the crowd, but the tone was rather unfriendly. It was rare to hear someone speak like that when asking for advice, which drew everyone's attention.
Zhuang Rui recognized the voice, but when he looked in the direction of the sound, he was blocked by the crowd and could not see who was speaking.
"Oh, it's Senior Uncle Gu!"
Zhuang Rui suddenly remembered who the voice belonged to. He had just sat down and hadn't even touched the sofa yet when he jumped up. He pushed through the crowd and, sure enough, Old Master Gu was standing outside the crowd, looking at him with a smile on his face.
"Uncle Gu, you're also laughing at me."
As Zhuang Rui spoke, he gestured for the old man to come inside.
"Hey, today's trip was worthwhile, this is the grandmaster of Jade Street."
"So this young man is an old master's nephew. No wonder he has such skill."
Ancient reputation is well-known in the jade industry, and many people know him. For a while, the people gathered around the sofa started talking about him.
Chapter 174 Pan Yu (Part 2)
"Uncle-Master Gu, what brings you here?"
After the old man sat down, Zhuang Rui asked a question, but as soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he had asked too much. It was perfectly normal for the old man, with his status, to attend this Pingzhou jadeite rough stone trade fair.
"Shouldn't I have come? Does that mean you should have come?"
Old Master Gu seemed to be in a bad mood today, and he spoke rather bluntly.
"Uncle-Master, I was invited by a friend. Otherwise, how would I know there was a jade trade fair here?"
Zhuang Rui honestly replied that he really wouldn't have known if Song Jun hadn't told him.
"Oh? Is that so? Then I misunderstood you..."
It turns out that Old Master Gu thought Zhuang Rui had tasted success with jade gambling in Nanjing and wanted to try his luck again. He was Zhuang Rui's grandfather's student and had a fondness for Zhuang Rui, treating him like a nephew. He didn't want to see Zhuang Rui addicted to jade gambling, which is why his tone was so unpleasant just now.
“Uncle-Master, I was just lucky before. These past few months in Zhonghai have been mainly for studying. I haven’t been gambling on stones anymore.”
After Zhuang Rui understood what Grandpa Gu was thinking, he couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. However, he was still grateful for Grandpa Gu's heartfelt care.
"Old Gu, it's been two years since I last saw you. You must come visit me sometime."
Fatty Ma actually knew Old Master Gu, and he came over to greet him.
"Oh, it's Mr. Ma. What have you caught this time that made you come here?"
Old Master Gu is not detached from worldly affairs; sometimes he helps people appraise things. Two years ago, he appraised a few ancient jade pieces for Fatty Ma, so they became acquainted.
"Hehe, I just came to join in the fun. I didn't expect Brother Zhuang to be so familiar with you."
Fatty Ma smiled brightly, completely unconcerned by Old Master Gu's slightly sarcastic remarks.
"Xiao Zhuang and I are old friends, Mr. Ma, please take good care of him in the future."
Old Gu briefly explained his relationship with Zhuang Rui. Old Gu knew that Fatty Ma was no ordinary person. Two years ago, he knew that Fatty Ma knew nothing about jade, but among the dozen or so pieces of antique jade in his collection, only one was a fake that had been artificially aged; the rest were genuine, including several quite fine and rare pieces. Old Gu was very impressed that Fatty Ma, a layman, had such discerning eyes. His words were also a way of putting in a good word for Zhuang Rui.
“Old man, are the methods for ‘polishing jade’ that this young man just mentioned true? Could you please give me your opinion?”
The onlookers, seeing that Old Master Gu had sat down, chatted happily with Zhuang Rui and the others. Some of the bolder ones even shouted out. You see, Old Master Gu is an absolute authority in the jade industry, and he is rarely seen. Naturally, no one wanted to miss such a good opportunity to ask him for advice.
“Old Gu, you just got off the plane. It’s a bit noisy here. Why don’t you go upstairs and rest for a while? We’ve already arranged a room for you.”
At this moment, a middle-aged man who had been following closely behind Gu Lao leaned over and whispered in Gu Lao's ear that he must be the official who had invited Gu Lao to come.
"It's alright, I'll sit here for a while."
Old Gu waved his hand dismissively. Seeing that Old Gu refused to go upstairs to rest, the man had no choice but to go to the side, take out his phone, and make a call.
"Xiao Zhuang, I didn't expect your jade appraisal skills to improve so much in just a few months. What you said earlier was all correct. Please continue."
Seeing the expectant looks in the crowd, Gu Lao had an idea and steered the conversation back to Zhuang Rui.
"Senior Uncle, this is unfair! With you here, I have no right to speak..."
The old man's words made Zhuang Rui anxious. Showing off his knowledge of jade in front of him was like trying to teach a master swordsman to use his skills in front of Guan Yu; he was just asking for trouble.
"Sit down."
The old man pressed down on Zhuang Rui's body as he was about to stand up, and said, "No matter what profession you are in, there is no order of learning. Those who are skilled are your teachers. What you just said is all correct. I have nothing to criticize. Don't be afraid, continue."
Zhuang Rui understood a little better now. The old man was praising him. For someone of his age to say such things would probably spread throughout the jade collecting industry in no time. The old man's words were like leading him into the door.
Sure enough, after the old man spoke, the onlookers began to whisper among themselves. Some believed Zhuang Rui's statement about "panyu," but many more had doubts. The reason was simple: Zhuang Rui was too young. However, after the old man's words, the way everyone looked at Zhuang Rui was completely different from before.
"Young man, since the old man has asked you to speak, then speak."
The man who had just handed Zhuang Rui the cigarette spoke up.
Zhuang Rui hesitated for a moment. He did know the specific methods for handling ancient jade, but they were all theoretical. If he made a mistake, he would become a laughing stock. However, he was in a difficult situation. After thinking for a moment, Zhuang Rui braced himself and said, "The method for handling jade was taught to me by an elder. I will share it with everyone. Please correct me if there is anything I have missed."
Let's leave aside jadeite and other hard jade for now. Let's talk about nephrite. If you're lucky enough to find a piece of jade that has been unearthed but hasn't been handled yet, it's best not to start handling it right away. Instead, soak it in clean water for two days. If it's jade from a new mine (that is, jade that has just been unearthed), the water temperature should be around 70 or 80 degrees Celsius.
After soaking, a white, sticky substance will seep out from the jade. This can be called the patina of the jade. As everyone knows, the patina refers to the glossy oxide layer that forms on the surface of antique objects during long-term storage and handling.