Tianzhu: The Record of Foreign Stories in the Republic of China

Chapter 1 Painting and Killing (1)
1
The small town of Xiulin is located on the bank of the Yangtze River on the edge of Hunan and Hubei. According to legend, Liu Bei of the Han Dynasty in the Three Kingdoms period "hangs the brocade on the mountain, and embroiders like Lin Nasun's wife here", so it is named Xiulin.The ancient city of the Three Kingdoms, the thoroughfare of the two provinces, going up against the river, passing through Jingzhou and Yichang, can reach Chongqing, and going down the river, passing through Yueyang and Wuhan, can reach the coast of Shanghai and Nanjing.

A small street winds along the embankment, called Yipu Street.Because it is close to the wharf by the river, boat merchants traveling from south to north stop their boats here to rest their feet.

There is a mounting shop on the street, with an old facade, a simple signboard, a wooden board nailed to the lintel, and the inscription "Ancient Yuzhai Mounting Room" written in six big characters, in official script, with a square structure, thick and simple, and its own style.There is a counter in the door, and there are several paintings and calligraphy that have been framed and ready to be picked up on the wall. A young man is diligently cleaning the shop with a feather duster in his hand.Across a bamboo curtain, there is a square table in the middle, on which there are mounting tools such as rulers, pins, shaft heads, paste brushes, cutters, etc. A man with a clear face in long gown is sitting in front of the table, facing the hanging A calligraphy scroll on the wall frowns intently, thinking hard.

This person's surname is Wang, his name is Han Hao, and his character is Gu Yu. He is the owner of this mounting shop, and the mounting skills passed down from his family are in his hands.Wang Hanhao has superb mounting skills, rich experience, and conscientiousness. All calligraphy and painting albums mounted by him are absolutely free from cracks, deformities, insects, and mildew. Famous artists often come here especially for their fame.

But this time, Wang Hanhao was stumped by a severely damaged calligraphy scroll.

This piece of calligraphy was sent by Yu Zisheng, a famous scholar in Jiangling, to be repaired.It is a running script of Zheng Banqiao, written on Xuan paper, more than six feet in length and about three feet in width.Two poems of "Huaiwei County" composed of Qijue in running script, four and a half lines of text, two lines of inscription, leading to the square seal of "Zheng Banqiao" in Baiwen seal script.

The text says:
Lovesickness is endless and lovesickness, Weishui spring is late everywhere.

Thirty miles away from the peach blossoms, Yuanyang Temple is connected to Liulang Temple.

Paper flowers are flying all over the sky like snow, and the charming girl swings around.

The five-color skirt swings in the wind, so as to bring the butterflies back to spring.

There is no doubt about the paper ground, ink brush, and style, but it is an authentic work, but it is a pity that the preservation is not good.Due to its dilapidation, it was glued together with new rice paper, but it has been seriously misplaced.The main damage involves the first part of the two lines, that is, the character "Ge" at the beginning of the second line and the character "Liu" at the beginning of the third line are partially damaged, and the character "Ge" is particularly damaged.After artificial folding and carrying, dozens of pieces were broken horizontally and vertically.At the inscription on the left edge of the screen, there is a water stain from top to bottom, soaking through the back of the paper, which is already the first eye-catching defect.

Yu Zisheng once brought this work to the provincial capital three times, and asked a famous framer to restore the framed frame. No one dared to accept it after asking for a lot of money.When he was in despair, he heard that there was an expert in Xiulin Guyuzhai who could bring "dead paintings" back to life, so he came to ask for help.Wang Hanhao accepted the order and said that he would pick it up in three days.When I unfolded it and took a closer look, I realized that I had picked up a hot potato. The work was severely damaged and full of holes. It would be extremely difficult to completely repair and restore it.

During the three-day period, today is the last day. Wang Hanhao has been thinking hard about this calligraphy for two days, but he doesn't know where to start.

After repeated thinking, it was almost noon before I had a plan in my mind.

He took down the work and spread it on the table that was pre-laid with water and oil paper. First, remove the water stains, match the broken parts with the broken stubble, and fix the position. Layer a towel and rinse with boiling water several times.Then peel off the paper layer by layer, and the movement must be gentle, so as not to damage the original work.After repairing the hole, brush the prepared new thin slurry, and correct the misalignment when brushing the slurry.Then put inlay strips on the main breaks, fill in the pulp, support it with thin light-colored paper, and cover it with two layers of Korean paper. After flattening, turn the picture over, remove the water-oil paper, and let it dry.Then refurbish the picture, patch up the broken part, scrape off the break with a sharp knife, and then smooth it with fine sandpaper, so that the whole picture does not see traces of heavy paper.

The last process is full color and brushing.This process is critical. "Full color" is a term for restoring old paintings. It refers to the place where the damaged part has been repaired, ground, and scraped, and the color becomes lighter. It is painted with color to match the tone of the entire picture; To break the handwriting, it is necessary to add ink and color to make the strokes continuous.There are three kinds of full colors: wet full, dry full and extra dry full.The large-area non-handwriting screen needs to be painted several times to make the color close to other parts of the screen.When there are very small shallow spots, it is close to success. At this time, you can use dry brush. When dry full, the brush has less water and the color is relatively heavy. The brush used also needs to be fine.It can be painted with thick ink at one time, but it is easy to cause inconsistency with other ink colors, and the whole ink will shine and appear new. It must be painted with light ink over and over again to ensure that the ink color is consistent.

In this busyness, I even forgot to eat dinner, and I was busy until late at night.When the work is dry, it is removed from the paper wall, and the excess paper edges on both sides of the work are removed with a knife.Wax the paper behind the work and rub the paper repeatedly with stones to make it soft and smooth.Finally, the sky pole and ground pole are reinstalled, and the painting rope and tape are tied for the work, and the restoration is completed.

Early the next morning, Yu Zisheng came to pick up the goods and saw that the work had been repaired. The picture was simple and unique, and it was exactly the same as the original work. There was no trace of repair. He was shocked and took out ten yuan Dayang offered it with both hands as a reward.Wang Hanhao said that repairing calligraphy and painting is all five yuan, and no one can deceive anyone.Receive half, and return the rest.

After sending Yu Zisheng away, I told Xiao Zhao, the clerk and apprentice, to take a good look at the store, and went to Wangjiang Tower for breakfast.

After breakfast, it was time for the card, and when he walked back to the shop, there were already people sitting in the shop waiting for him.The person who came here claimed to be You Hongyou, a native of Nankou Town. He bought a painting by Wen Zhengming at an antique shop in Tuanshan Temple for [-] yuan a few days ago. He came here to ask Mr. Wang to appreciate it.

It turns out that Wang Hanhao is not only good at mounting paintings, but also good at appraising paintings.He appraises paintings and is good at looking forward to spirit. All famous calligraphers and painters, their works have an "atmosphere", that is, "qiyun", which overflows the picture, while most of the fake works are dull and vulgar in brushwork, full of craftsmanship, and there is no "atmosphere" at all.In the paintings of ancient figures, we should observe their look and language, in the flowers and fruits, we should observe their wind and dew, and in the paintings of birds and animals, we should observe their vivid spirit.In landscape painting, you should see the mountains, rivers, forests, springs, leisurely and quiet, deep houses, bridges, old and moist stones, fresh and clear water, Cuiwei mountains, springs, clouds and smoke, wild paths, twists and turns, pine dragons, bamboos, and wind and rain. , the foot of the mountain enters the water to clarify, and the source of the water is clear. Even if such a painting is unknown, it is still a masterpiece.If a person is like a corpse or a mold, if flowers and fruits are placed in a vase, only the fur of birds and beasts is taken, the mountains, rivers, forests and springs are arranged in a dense manner, the buildings are blurred and mixed, the bridges are forced to be broken, the environment is not dangerous, there is no way in and out, and there are no stones. Three-dimensional effect, the tree has no branches that lean forward, backward, left, and right.Some are tall and tall, or the distance is not distinguished, or the shade is inappropriate, and the dyeing is not done properly, or the water is floating on the foot of the mountain, and the water source has no source. Even though it is signed by a certain famous artist, it must be a fake.

At that moment, Wang Hanhao took You Hongyou's painting, put on his gloves, and slowly unfolded it.It was a picture of Wen Zhengming's "Mao Pavilion Wiping Dust", ink and color on silk, hanging scroll, seal: Wen Zhengming seal.Inscribed by Wu Hufan.The mountains and rivers depicted in the picture are steep and magnificent, with houses in the mountains and a deep environment. The characters sit facing the stream, and the air of leisure and elegance overflows with silk.In the distance there are towering mountains, lush forests, and the picture is high and wide.

Seeing him silent for a long time, You Hongyou couldn't help feeling a little anxious, and leaned forward and asked, "Mr. Wang, how is this painting? Is it real or fake?"

Wang Hanhao retracted his gaze and rolled up the picture scroll: "According to Wang's experience, the authenticity of Wen Zhengming's works is more complicated, including imitation, forgery, ghostwriting, etc. The authenticity of Wen Zhengming's works can be verified Start with the following points. One is the signature. Before the age of 42, he was named 'Bi', and later changed his name to 'Zhengming'; The characters from "soil" to "jade" are mostly signed "Zhengming" after the age of 44. The second is the painting method. His own authentic works embody freshness in fine workmanship, skill in childishness, strangeness in ordinaryness, and action in strength. The pen and ink of the literati painting is implied in it. If the workmanship is solid, elegant but weak, too rigid, sharp, thin, and mediocre, it may be a ghostwriting or fake. The third is to grasp the difference between the same and many ghostwriters are Wen. His disciples, disciples and even their children are very similar in imitation, but there are differences after all. For example, his disciple Qian Gu uses a thicker brush, while his son Wen Jia focuses on simplicity. A few months ago, someone took Wen’s "Hushan Bridge" Come to learn from me, I think that the setting of the painting is too cumbersome, the brush is finely divided, carved out, and the line is drawn on the board, which shows the habit of traveling, so it is definitely a fake."

When You Hongyou heard the word "fake" coming out of his mouth, he was so anxious that he broke out in sweat, and hurriedly asked, "Then my picture..."

Wang Hanhao re-opened the scroll, looked at it and said: "This "Mao Pavilion Sweeping Dust" is signed with the word 'Zhengming', and it is definitely a work of Wen's middle and late years. Wen's landscape paintings have changes from early, middle and late. Between the ages of 40 and 60, I learned from Zhao Mengfu, Wang Meng, and Huang Gongwang. Whether it is green or ink, the focus is on fine workmanship. This painting is rigorous in brushwork, delicate in craftsmanship, and elegant in style. It is an authentic work.”

You Hongyou thanked him again and again as if he had found a treasure, paid the salary, and left happily holding the "Mao Pavilion Wiping the Dust".

After he went out for a long distance, Xiao Zhao, who had been standing by the side to observe and study, said, "Master, Wen Zhengming is a famous landscape painter. There are many fake works in the market, but not many authentic ones have been handed down to this day. A piece of "Mao Pavilion Sweeping Dust" "Picture", why is it only worth 50 yuan? Could it be that You Hongyou picked up a mistake?"

Wang Hanhao shook his head and said with a smile, "It's not because he picked it up, but this painting is actually a fake."

Xiao Zhao opened his eyes wide and asked, "Is it a fake?"

Wang Hanhao nodded and said: "This painting is imitated by people today. Although it is the same as the real one, it is difficult for people to distinguish it, but the seal..."

Xiao Zhao asked: "What happened to the seal?"

Wang Hanhao said: "The copied seal will be somewhat different from the original seal. It is very difficult for a forger to carve the exact same characters on the stone. I have seen Wen Zhengming's seals before. The seal characters are natural, smooth, and clear. The color is bright but not fiery, but the seal engraved on the "Mao Ting Swinging Dust" is slightly weak and dull, the printing color is hot, and the printing frame is slightly large, and it is pretending to be incomplete to fill it up. It is a reprint. Seals. Famous paintings are easy to imitate, but seals are hard to make."

Xiao Zhao gained some insight, nodded his head and said, "It's rare to be able to copy Wen Zhengming's paintings so closely."

Wang Hanhao sighed thoughtfully: "Yes, his painting skills have improved a lot. In the future, maybe even I won't be able to tell the truth from the fake."

Xiao Zhao asked, "Does Master know who made this fake painting?"

Wang Hanhao smiled slightly, and said: "Looking at the Hunan and Hubei area, there is no one who can fake it so well, except Mr. Yi?"

Xiao Zhao was taken aback for a moment, and suddenly realized: "It turned out to be Mr. Yi from Qiu Yuting's studio. Why didn't Master expose him in person?"

Wang Hanhao said: "I heard that Mr. Yi's wife died recently, and it's time to spend money, alas..." A long sigh revealed a little admiration, a little regret, and a little helplessness in the world.

2
Mr. Yi's surname is Yi, his name is Qiuyu, and his style name is Yuting. He was originally from Tai'an, Shandong Province. Because of avoiding a lawsuit, he and his wife and daughter moved here three years ago. He opened an Qiuyuting studio at the end of Yipu Street and sold paintings for a living.

Mr. Yi's paintings involve figures, landscapes, flowers and birds, especially landscapes.At the beginning, he also studied the two sects of the north and the south, and then he left the south and specialized in the north. He was more influenced by Ma Yuan and Xia Gui in the Song Dynasty, and he made changes to achieve the best results in both sketching and rubbing.In middle age, he has surpassed the limitations of the Northern and Southern Schools and formed his own style.The artistic conception of landscape paintings is elegant and far-reaching, the structure is rigorous, and the brushwork is strong; the flower and bird works are elegant and elegant, and the brushwork is softer than landscape paintings.

Although the painting skills are good, the style is self-contained, and the people are also hardworking, but the people of the times favor the past and the present, and because they are outsiders, the business of the studio is sluggish, and the management is bleak, and they can only make ends meet.

Mr. Yi's daughter is Xiaozhi. She is 15 years old this year. She is studying in Beimen Middle School. After class, she learns painting with her father.Mr. Yi's wife, Mei Shi, is weak and was bedridden due to illness in the second year in Yipu Street. Mr. Yi took care of her daily life.

Mr. Yi has a little knowledge of medicine, and he treated his wife by himself at the beginning, but he didn't see any improvement, so he had to turn to Western medicine.The doctor at the hospital said that only long-term use of western medicine can control Mei's condition.At that time, western medicine was still rare in China, and western medicine was much more expensive than traditional Chinese medicine.As soon as his wife fell ill, Mr. Yi was struggling to make ends meet with only one paintbrush to support the whole family.

Just when he was in trouble, a merchant of ancient paintings suddenly came to his door and asked him to copy a picture of "Han Xizai's Night Banquet". "Han Xizai Night Banquet Picture" was created by Gu Hongzhong, a painter of the Southern Tang Dynasty. The six dynasties of Xian, Tong, Guang and Xuan are all collected by Da Nei.After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, this painting was exiled among the people, but somehow got into the hands of this painter.

Mr. Yi cherishes feathers, and he didn't bother to do it, so the art dealer increased the price, and finally offered 60 oceans.A penny is hard for a hero. Mr. Yi thought that his sick wife was in need of expenses, so he agreed against his will and accepted the business.

"Han Xizai's Evening Banquet Picture" has five sections, which combine the advantages of story painting, genre painting and portrait painting. Although the plot is complicated and there are many characters, the arrangement of guests and hosts is orderly, and the complexity and simplicity are cherished by collectors of all ages.It is not easy to imitate both the spirit and the form, and to confuse the real with the fake.

A few days later, the art dealer came to pick up the goods according to the appointment, and saw that Mr. Yi's copy of the figure's clothing pattern was concise and complete, and the details were unsatisfactory, such as the dyeing of the man's eyebrows, the pattern of the clothes, the structure of the utensils, and the decoration of the screen. ,Harmony.Even if it is compared and identified with the original, it is completely consistent without any flaws.Overjoyed, he readily paid Mr. Yi 100 oceans to show his appreciation.Later, the art dealer took this copied work to the Tianjin Ancient Calligraphy and Painting Market, and sold it for 3000 oceans.

Mr. Yi received 100 yuan and expected to be able to pay off his wife's medical expenses, so he didn't want to be Feng's wife again, and the art dealer would not accept him when he came to him again.

It's a pity that God has no eyes, and people's wishes were not fulfilled. Later, Mei's condition deteriorated and she needed to go to the hospital for an operation. The operation cost was at least several hundred dollars.Mr. Yi couldn't bear to see Jiefa's wife lying at home waiting to die, so he had to let go of his arrogance, and went back to the calligraphy and painting dealer.

There are many ways to counterfeit ancient calligraphy and paintings, which can be summed up as copying, copying, imitating, forging, ghostwriting and changing the appearance of the original.

Mr. Yi is good at imitation, but he does not put the original work in front of the case to read. This kind of imitation is more flexible than sketching, but it is easy to lose the similarity, or even reveal the face of the writer himself.When he was about to write, he first took the transparent paper, and according to the outline of the original image, he used thick ink to outline the parts. After taking it off, he covered the manuscript with the thick ink, and then looked at the original work. Pro.The works copied by this method are not only similar in brushwork, but also without losing their charm, so it is extremely difficult to identify.

Mei's operation was performed in time. Although the western medicine is powerful, it can't help him. It only prolongs his life for half a year. Half a month ago, Mei finally passed away and was completely free.As a husband, Mr. Yi has done everything that should be done. It is God's will, and Mr. Yi has no regrets.It's just that the family was poor and couldn't afford to bury his wife, so he had to copy a piece of Wen Zhengming's "Mao Pavilion Sweeping Dust" overnight, exchanged a dozen oceans, bought a thin wooden coffin, invited a Taoist temple, and buried his wife.

Later, I heard that someone sent this "Mao Pavilion Wiping Dust Picture" to Gu Yuzhai for Wang Hanhao to appraise, but he couldn't see any flaws, so he felt a little complacent.

As soon as his wife left, Mr. Yi had nothing to worry about, so he washed his hands in a golden basin and cut off contact with the unscrupulous art dealer. While taking good care of his daughter, he hid in the studio and devoted himself to painting. Business has gradually picked up.

(End of this chapter)