"Hehe, Brother Huangfu, the capable should do more, right everyone?"
Zhuang Rui chuckled and egged them on, and some of the acquaintances following behind Huangfu Yun also laughed.
"No, Director, why don't you take some people to visit the ceramics exhibition hall? It's been almost half an hour, let's hurry up and finish, then go to the hotel for dinner..."
The guests were full of curiosity about Zhuang Rui's museum, but it held no appeal for Huangfu Yun. He had handled almost all the arrangements and decorations of the exhibition hall himself.
"Alright, friends who are interested in ceramics and jade, come with me..."
Before they knew it, at least 200 of the three or four hundred guests were listening to Huangfu Yun explain the swords and knives pavilion. When Zhuang Rui called out, a large portion of the people immediately dispersed and followed behind him.
After leading everyone out of the swords and knives hall, the entrance to the ceramics exhibition hall is right across from it. This is the most eye-catching place for tourists, apart from the bronze exhibition hall, because only eight pieces of Yuan blue and white porcelain with figures that exist in the world are displayed in this exhibition hall. However, due to its location, there are not many people inside at the moment.
"Teacher Zhuang, this...this isn't carved from jade, is it?"
At the entrance of the ceramics museum, there are two exquisitely crafted crystal display cases. One is about 1.5 meters high, and inside it is an object that looks like a bonsai.
This is a bonsai tree, about 30 centimeters tall. On its emerald green trunk, there are several branches, and on these branches, which are about the thickness of a little finger, are blooming red and yellow flowers the size of a fingernail.
Under the special light, the entire sapling resembled a celestial tree, with mist rising from it, perfectly embodying the phrase "red jade and green emerald," and radiating dazzling brilliance.
"Hehe, Sister Qizhu, don't be so polite. Just call me Xiao Zhuang. I can't accept you calling me teacher..."
The person who asked Zhuang Rui was Qi Zhu. Zhuang Rui still owed her a favor back in Changhua. He smiled and waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "That's right, this is a jade tree. I found it at the Myanmar jade auction at the beginning of the year. It was personally designed and carved by Mr. Hu Rong, an internationally renowned jade designer..."
"My God, it really is a jade tree! How much does it cost?"
"I've never heard of Professor Zhuang ever unearthing such a top-quality jadeite before?"
"Hey, don't you know you shouldn't flaunt your wealth? Who would shout about solving something good all over the world?"
"Yes, Teacher Zhuang is already the Jade King of the North, he doesn't need this to save face..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, the crowd behind him swarmed around the display case. Although this jade tree wasn't an antique, its market value was probably not much lower than that of the Dingguang Sword.
"Zhuang Rui, this is probably carved from nephrite jade, isn't it?"
Qi Zhu has always loved jade and has a good eye for it. After seeing the jade fruit plate that was returned by Old Master Ouyang, she immediately recognized its jade quality.
The variety of colors in this jade fruit platter surpasses even that of the jade tree, encompassing almost every color. Moreover, thanks to the master craftsman's skillful carving, each fruit is rendered with lifelike detail. Unless one examines it closely, it would be difficult to detect that it is fake.
Zhuang Rui nodded and said, "Yes, this is a piece carved from Hetian jade. It's an extremely rare multi-colored Hetian jade, and it was personally carved by Grandpa Gu Tianfeng..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, the person who was standing next to the jade fruit plate realized that another priceless treasure had appeared before their eyes.
The most ridiculous thing is that many people didn't notice this thing just now and thought it was a museum decoration. But they didn't think that an ordinary fruit plate should be paired with such a display case that costs tens of thousands of yuan.
Many people in the room may not have heard of Hu Rong, but whether or not they are jade enthusiasts, they are familiar with the name Gu Tianfeng. Not to mention this precious jade, even ordinary materials would increase in value after passing through the hands of Master Gu.
"Zhuang Rui, every single item you take out here is so extraordinary..."
Qi Zhu sighed with emotion, realizing that all the collections in her father's house combined probably didn't compare to the significance of just one item in Zhuang Rui's collection.
Chapter 709 Collection (Part 2)
Upon hearing Qi Zhu's words, Zhuang Rui smiled without saying much, but a confident look appeared on his face. Although his museum did not have many collections, each one was a masterpiece. Zhuang Rui believed that it was comparable to those state-owned museums.
Of course, we don't need to mention the Palace Museum and the like. Although it has suffered several calamities, it is still a giant, far beyond what Zhuang Rui can compare to.
Seeing that everyone was still looking at the two jade carvings, Zhuang Rui said, "Let's take a look at the ceramics gallery first. It's already past 12 o'clock, and we'll have to go eat after we've finished looking around..."
The display cases for those two jade carvings are detachable. Zhuang Rui temporarily placed them outside the ceramics exhibition hall to attract attention. Once the jade and miscellaneous items hall is open for business, these two jade carvings, along with the Western Han Dynasty white jade tiger obtained from the Guimet Museum, will become the hall's prized possessions.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this Yuan blue-and-white porcelain jar depicting Guiguzi descending the mountain is the only Yuan blue-and-white porcelain piece with a figure in our country..."
The Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white porcelain jar depicting Guiguzi descending the mountain naturally deserves to be placed in the most prominent spot in the ceramics exhibition hall. The exquisite glass display case and the hollowed-out crystal base all serve to highlight the preciousness of this porcelain piece.
The main image on the porcelain jar depicts the story of Guiguzi, Sun Bin's teacher, agreeing to descend the mountain to rescue Sun Bin and Dugu Chen, famous generals of Qi, who were trapped in the Yan state, at the repeated request of Su Dai, an envoy from Qi.
On the porcelain jar, Guiguzi sits upright in a chariot pulled by a tiger and a leopard, his body slightly leaning forward, his expression calm and serene, like an immortal, displaying the demeanor of someone who can strategize and win battles from afar. Two foot soldiers in front of the chariot are clearing the way with long spears.
A young general, full of vigor, rode his horse, holding a battle flag inscribed with the words "Guigu" (Ghost Valley). Su Dai brought up the rear on horseback. The group, together with the mountains, trees, and rocks, formed a magnificent and beautiful landscape painting.
The entire blue and white porcelain decoration is rich and vibrant in color, with a full and balanced composition, clear distinction between primary and secondary elements, and a harmonious whole. The figures are depicted smoothly and naturally, full of spirit, while the rocks are rendered with unrestrained and skillful brushstrokes, making it a truly perfect piece.
Although there are not many figures on the porcelain jar, each person's expression is rich and delicate. Even in later Ming and Qing dynasty porcelain, such exquisite porcelain is rare. Most of the people in the room are experts and naturally know the rarity and preciousness of this porcelain.
Moreover, just last month, at an auction held in London, England, a Yuan blue-and-white porcelain piece depicting figures fetched a staggering price of over £14 million, equivalent to more than 230 million RMB, shocking the world's art collecting community.
Although that porcelain piece was also a Yuan blue-and-white porcelain with figures, its shape and storytelling were far inferior to this Guiguzi Descending the Mountain porcelain jar. After seeing this porcelain jar, everyone in the exhibition hall was speechless. According to international auction prices, this Guiguzi Yuan blue-and-white porcelain would probably be worth more than 300 million RMB.
First came the Dingguang Sword, then the rare jade carvings, and now this Yuan blue-and-white porcelain jar that can absolutely be called a priceless treasure. People have already formed a perception of Zhuang Rui's museum: it is definitely taking the route of high-end boutiques.
Based on the exhibitions I've visited, the second volume of "Kangxi's Southern Inspection Tour" is magnificent and extensive. Even in major city museums like Nanjing or Shanghai, it would be a prized possession. However, in Zhuang Rui's museum, it probably wouldn't even rank in the top 10, which shows how exquisite Zhuang Rui's collection is.
The ceramics exhibition hall is arguably the most valuable in Zhuang Rui's collection. The "Guiguzi Descending the Mountain" and the fish-patterned blue-and-white porcelain jar alone are worth around 400 million yuan, not to mention the complete set of porcelain from the five famous kilns, which is described as "Even with a fortune of ten thousand pieces of gold, it is not as good as a single piece of Jun porcelain."
Before Zhuang Rui's museum opened, Mr. Qian from Kyoto Auction House brought an appraiser to the museum, and the appraiser estimated that the ceramics exhibition hall was worth more than 800 million RMB, and that was a conservative estimate.
Of course, this valuation was made after the London auction.
Because in the two months that followed, the world auction scene changed dramatically, and the prices of Chinese artworks, especially ceramics, soared. The more than two hundred pieces of porcelain from the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty that Ezkena gave to Zhuang Rui were valued at more than 100 million yuan.
Zhuang Rui did send an invitation to Ezkena, but Ezkena did not attend Zhuang Rui's opening ceremony, citing illness.
"Feeling unwell? Perhaps you're angry with yourself?"
This was the sentence Huangfu Yun uttered when he heard that Ezkena had not come.
Zhuang Rui could imagine that Ezkena was probably regretting his purchase right now. In terms of value, those ten or so Picasso sketches couldn't compare to the porcelain he had traded. Although Ezkena still had many fine porcelain pieces, Zhuang Rui had completely plundered the Yuan blue and white porcelain and the porcelain from the five great kilns of the Song Dynasty.
As for Zhuang Rui's other exhibition halls, President Qian also gave them an assessment. Although the bronze sword cannot be traded domestically, if it were smuggled abroad, its price would be at least 200 million.
Excluding the bronzes that Zhuang Rui "temporarily borrowed" from the country, just Zhuang Rui's own collection, including two jade carvings, was valued at 2.2 billion yuan by Mr. Qian. Adding the value of the land and building of the museum itself, the total price of this private museum should be around 2.5 billion yuan.
To be honest, even Zhuang Rui was taken aback when the valuation was completed. You have to understand that with a net worth of 2.5 billion RMB, he could easily be ranked in the top 10 of the Forbes China Rich List in 2004.
However, the Forbes ranking takes into account many factors, such as political influence. Zhuang Rui himself has virtually none, and his international influence is limited to the art world. Moreover, he is one of those people who have been blacklisted by auction houses.
As for his leading position in the private economy, Zhuang Rui is even less likely to be included. If his museum can be considered a private enterprise, then Zhuang Rui only spends money and does not generate much benefit for the country, let alone be a leader.
However, Zhuang Rui can barely be considered as having a strategic position in his industry according to Forbes. In terms of the value of his collection, his museum is definitely one of the best private museums in China.
As for the number of jobs he creates, Zhuang Rui is nowhere near as successful as those listed billionaires. He currently only has a few dozen actual employees, including those from "Qin Ruilin" and "Xuan Ruizhai".
There are many people like Zhuang Rui in China. The media has given this type of person a name: the hidden tycoon. They have a lot of assets but keep a low profile, or they are only famous in a certain industry.
However, if Zhuang Rui's investments were leaked, he would probably be able to secure a place on the Forbes rich list, because the jade mine in Myanmar alone could bring Zhuang Rui at least 2 billion RMB in returns over the next few years.
The jade mines in Xinjiang have been mostly mined out, and Zhuang Rui has already received more than 300 million yuan in dividends from them. Once the mining is completed, it should reach 500 million yuan, which is about the same as the Jade King's expectations.
In addition, there's the property development where Zhuang Rui is currently located. The pre-sale units alone have already generated 700 to 800 million yuan in revenue. Once all the properties are sold, Zhuang Rui's 300 million yuan investment will at least increase four to five times.
This is why so many people in China like to invest in real estate. It's an incredibly profitable business, especially since many people essentially get something for nothing—they take money from the bank with one hand and return it with the other, without spending a single penny of their own money.
After visiting the two exhibition halls, these collectors and experts from all over the country couldn't help but feel a sense of awe towards Zhuang Rui. While money cannot measure a person's status, it can certainly measure their ability. In the antique business, the success of a person is measured by the quantity and quality of their collection. Although Zhuang Rui's current collection cannot compare with Mr. Ma's in terms of quantity, in terms of the total value of his collection, it is estimated that only Ms. Chen, who specializes in sandalwood, can compare with Zhuang Rui.
After this opening ceremony, Zhuang Rui, who had been in the business for less than two years, had already reached a status in the domestic antique world that could rival Mr. Ma's. For a long time afterward, invitations to various forums, lectures, and appraisal activities came to Zhuang Rui like snowflakes. Of course, these are all stories for later.
"Alright, everyone, let's go check out the bronze ware exhibition hall one more time, then we'll head over for lunch..."
Zhuang Rui clapped his hands to attract everyone's attention, then led the way out of the ceramics exhibition hall. Suddenly, he saw Peng Fei walking towards him and was taken aback.
"Peng Fei, where's Uncle De? Didn't you invite him?"
Uncle De's youngest daughter-in-law is due to give birth these days. As her father-in-law, Uncle De also wants to see his big, fat grandson as soon as possible. So after receiving Zhuang Rui's invitation, he has been staying in Zhonghai and has not come over.
Zhuang Rui respected Uncle De as a father figure, and he would definitely feel regret if Uncle De didn't come to the opening of his museum.
So Zhuang Rui had Peng Fei and the crew wait in Zhonghai. As soon as Uncle De's daughter-in-law gave birth and Uncle De saw his grandson, he would immediately invite Uncle De to Beijing.
"Brother Zhuang, Uncle De has arrived, but he went straight into that exhibition hall as soon as he got here..."
Peng Fei pointed to an exhibition hall behind him, which was the bronze exhibition hall closest to the main entrance, the one Zhuang Rui was leading his people to.
Due to numerous restrictions on the trade of bronzes in China, relatively few collectors have entered the bronze exhibition hall. Most visitors are experts who study bronzes, particularly the large Shang and Zhou dynasty bronze ding vessel.
Chapter 710 Old but Still Strong
"Uncle De, congratulations on having another big, healthy grandson! Haha, Teacher Meng, we couldn't find you during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Look at how well this was done..."
Upon arriving at the bronze ware exhibition hall, Zhuang Rui saw a group of people gathered around a display case on the wall. Squeezing in, he saw Professor Meng and Uncle De pointing out and commenting on the artifacts inside.
Zhuang Rui passed the graduate school interview in June, which means that he will be a student at Peking University in September.
Zhuang Rui also informed Professor Meng about the museum's opening, but there were too many people today, so Professor Meng had his brother-in-law Zhao Guodong help with the reception. During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Zhuang Rui was indeed thinking of his mentor, but when he asked Zhao Guodong, he didn't know where Professor Meng had gone.
"I'm just an old geezer, not good enough for this kind of thing. Little Zhuang, your museum is truly remarkable. Among all the museums in Beijing, apart from the Palace Museum and the Capital Museum, probably no other museum has a collection that can compare to yours..."
Professor Meng is a very pure scholar. Apart from doing research and textual research, he rarely participates in social activities. CCTV's "Hundred Schools Forum" invited him several times, but he declined each time. He also deliberately avoided the ribbon-cutting ceremony just now.
"Teacher Meng, I'm still young, I don't deserve such praise..."
Zhuang Rui had known Professor Meng for almost a year, and he knew that this teacher, who Uncle De described as having a somewhat strange temper, was actually a very sentimental person. If he liked you, he would never get angry no matter how you joked with him, but if he didn't like you, he wouldn't say a word.
"You two, stop being so mushy..."
Uncle De's relationship with Zhuang Rui is self-evident. He pulled Zhuang Rui over, pointed to the collection in the display case, and said, "Alright, brat, come here and tell me, how did you get this item?"
After hearing Uncle De's words, Zhuang Rui glanced at the glass display case attached to the wall and immediately laughed. It turned out to be the bronze mirror that he had found in the warehouse of the antique shop in Paris.
This item should ideally be in the miscellaneous items section, but since there are too few items in the miscellaneous items section, it is temporarily displayed in the bronze ware exhibition hall.
To highlight the unusual nature of this bronze mirror, Zhuang Rui specially modified the display case. The bronze mirror is now positioned sideways, facing outwards, while inside the display case, a beam of red light shines on the mirror at a 45-degree angle.
In this way, an image of a Bodhisattva sitting on a lotus throne is reflected on the white wall on the inside. The Bodhisattva Guanyin, with her hair tied up in a high bun and her robes flowing, holds a vase, her eyes are slightly closed, and her face is kind and compassionate.
Although the reflected pattern on this Bodhisattva statue is clear, it is rather faint. It is difficult to observe without standing up close and examining it carefully. Hundreds of guests came today, and not a single person could see it. However, Uncle De and Professor Meng discovered it.
Zhuang Rui has yet to verify the origin of this bronze mirror. He can only conclude that it dates to the Sui and Tang Dynasties based on the color and strength of the spiritual energy within it. This is because Buddhism was prevalent and the area was exceptionally wealthy during that era, and it is likely that only monks of that time would have bothered to create such exquisite Buddhist artifacts.
“Uncle De, Teacher Meng, I acquired this item in Paris. It came from the same person as those Picasso works…”
Zhuang Rui has always been proud of this. Finding bargains on Taobao in China is like profiting from one's own people, but when he finds treasures abroad, everyone will give him a thumbs up and say "amazing."
"Teacher Zhuang, is what you're saying true? It feels like I'm listening to a story."