National Tide 1980.

Chapter 53 Famous Store

In the world of Beijing, if you want to sell paintings, where do you sell them?

Then there is no need to ask, of course, it is Rong Baozhai of Liulichang.

Liulichang is a well-known ancient cultural street in Beijing, just outside the Peace Gate.

It was named after the kiln was set up here in the Yuan Dynasty to make glazed tiles.

In the mid-Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, the colored glaze kiln in the Yuan Dynasty was expanded into a factory, so it was called "Liuli Factory".

However, the real prosperity of this place is a matter of the two dynasties of the Qing Dynasty.

During the Kangxi Dynasty, the imperial court ordered the compilation of the "Compilation of Ancient and Modern Books".

During the Qianlong Dynasty, the imperial court ordered the compilation of the "Siku Quanshu".

As a result, it was the task of compiling these two tomes, which triggered a large number of scholars from all over the country to respond and bring their books to Beijing.

Because of the difference between the inner city and the outer city, at that time, except for the banner people and a small number of craftsmen, the people could only live in the outer city.

As a result, not only has the front door gradually become a lot of guild halls.

Liulichang has also become the best place for these scholars, as well as those who go to Beijing to take the exam, to read, sell, buy and exchange books.

At the same time, it also triggered the development and development of the study of gold and stone archaeology, and led antique dealers to open stores in Liulichang.

Whether it is gold and stone, ceramics, calligraphy and painting, tablet inscriptions, ancient coins, or other industries involving elegant culture, all developed under this circumstance.

This is how Liulichang became famous.

Liulichang has really become a trend, and it has a history of more than 300 years since it prospered. It has experienced more than 300 years of changes in the world.

Then there are naturally many well-known old names on this street.

Like Rong Baozhai is a very representative family.

The predecessor of Rongbaozhai was Songzhuzhai South Paper Shop established in 1672.

Originally, it was just a shop that only dealt with various types of paper and the four treasures of the study.

However, the woodblock engraving skills and the painting and calligraphy mounting and repairing skills here are very famous.

During the Qianlong period, the official papers of the inner court and the examination papers of the imperial court were specially provided by Songzhuzhai.

In the 20th year of Guangxu, Zhuang Huchen, an expert in the industry, served as the store manager.

He made a series of reforms for the debt-ridden and struggling Shochizhai.

One of them was the decision to change the name of the store to Rongbaozhai and expand various businesses.

So from then on, Rong Baozhai was no longer limited to the business of buying and selling pen, ink, paper, inkstone and the four treasures of the study, but also got involved in the business of buying and selling calligraphy and painting, as well as ordering calligraphy and painting on behalf of customers.

In terms of operation, Rong Baozhai adheres to the tenet of "making friends through literature", focusing on maintaining the love of calligraphy and painting with famous calligraphy and painting masters.

As a result, he gradually became a trusted friend of calligraphers and painters, and was even regarded as the "home of calligraphers and painters".

It is for this reason that in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, in order to attract customers, various old shops in Liulichang competed to hang famous paintings and calligraphy in front of their windows in publicity activities that attracted people to stop and watch.

Among them, Rong Baozhai has the most famous paintings and is the most lively, and has become a landscape of Liulichang.

In the period of the Republic of China, two famous literati entrusted Rong Baozhai to print "Peiping Jianpu" and "Ten Zhuzhai Jianpu" with woodblock watermarking, which made Rong Baozhai famous.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the management rights of Rongbaozhai gradually changed from private to public, and belonged to the leadership of the Fine Arts Publishing House.

Later, it merged with the well-known Heping painting shop in the painting world, and the limelight was no different for a while.

By this time, Rongbaozhai had developed into the largest and most influential store in Liulichang.

The business scope covers publishing, printing, repairing, framing, calligraphy and painting purchase and sales.

And with its exquisite traditional skills and honest management methods, it is deeply trusted and favored by customers at home and abroad.

On this street, only Baoguzhai, a unit directly under the Cultural Relics Bureau, has the same right to purchase and sell ancient paintings and calligraphy.

On the surface, however, Kang Shude and Ning Weimin came to Liulichang to sell paintings because of the name of Rong Baozhai.

But selling is not that simple, and it can't go straight.

As with catching goods, it is also impossible to save trouble.

Otherwise, if the price is high or low, you can travel [-] miles away. It's really hard to sell good things at a low price.

Kang Shude is the best in the industry, not only knows how to do it, but also has a scheming.

What object he wants to let go of, first of all, he must find out in advance, so that he knows what he knows.

For example, before going to Liulichang, the second-hand goods store in Longfu Temple, the second-hand purchase point in Xidan, and the Yueyatang store on the west side of Huguosi Street.

The old man was not afraid of trouble, so he and Ning Weimin went separately with calligraphy and painting.

Even if it was a rest day, he brought things and Ning Wei to Liulichang.

It was better to go to Baoguzhai to ask for a price before starting the actual action.

To be honest, the old man actually planned to ask the Beijing painting shop in Wangfujing.

But when he reached the door, he suddenly remembered.

The painting shop and Rong Baozhai belong to the art publishing house.

He didn't go in because he was afraid that the wind would be exposed.

What is leg work and mouth work?

Gotta do at least that.

Secondly, when you arrive at the land, you can't sell paintings directly, because rushing is not a business.

Rong Baozhai is well-known and is a national unit.

In addition, the service attitude of all walks of life in these years is obvious to all, and there is a certain common problem.

In such transactions, private individuals are too easily passive.

So Kang Shude had to find a way to get the store to ask him to get the ideal price.

then what should we do?

It's actually easy to do.

It is possible to surround Wei to save Zhao, and to keep Chen Cang secret.

A few minutes before eleven, Kang Shude finally brought Ning Weimin to Rongbaozhai.

To be honest, Rong Baozhai this year actually surprised Ning Weimin a bit.

Because its storefront is actually a bungalow with a simple appearance of cement stone walls.

It looks a bit like a Soviet-style building, not much retro style.

But the portal is large, with a plaque and a veranda outside.

It is indeed more formal than other stores on this street.

After entering, it is completely traditional store mode.

It's a glass counter that wraps around the wall.

On the glass counter are brushes, ink pads, inks, inkstones, and other delicate pieces.

On the back Bogu shelf are all kinds of paper, pen holders, ink cartridges, ornaments, fans, and other large antique items.

Just about the layout of the store, and these are selling stuff.

Ning Weimin didn't have time to take a closer look, his attention was almost entirely on the master.

Because he knew that when he entered the gate of Rong Bao Zhai, the performance had just begun.

"I said, comrade, can you restore paintings and calligraphy here? I want to ask..."

"go inside……"

Hey, there is simply no room for Kang Shude to finish his words completely.

Behind the counter selling brushes, a thin, expressionless male salesperson interrupted him.

Inadvertently, he pointed his hand inward, and he was speechless.

He didn't look up at people at all, as if someone owed him eight hundred.

But I can't be picky, but I have to thank you.

Because in fact, it is like this everywhere, and they are treated the same when they go to other homes.

It's not worth getting angry about this, so don't go out.

What's more, the slightly shabby clothes of Kang Shude and Ning Weimin also played a role of contempt.

If they could dress better, like foreign guests, and pack a trolley, maybe not.

(Note: Nanzhidian, since the four treasures of the study, such as rice paper, Huimo, Duanyan, and Hubi, are all produced in the south, people in Beijing are accustomed to calling the shop that sells such things Nanzhidian.)

(End of this chapter)