Chapter 219: The Black-Glazed Third Generation of the Great Ming

The spring sun pierced through the thin mist, and the melting frost under the eaves dripped onto the bluestone slabs.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee was polished bright, and the Mercedes-Benz shimmered with a gemstone-like luster. A group of people stood before the cars, saying their goodbyes one by one.

"Professor Lin, it will be hard work for you during this period!"

"Professor Shang, if any situation arises, call me at any time!"

"Director Han, I leave it to you!"

This trip to Shanxi would be quite long, at least two months, and at most three to five. There were many places to visit, and relying solely on phone communication could easily lead to errors, just like that time in Tongchuan.

With the previous lesson in mind, Wang Qi Zhi did not dare to be overconfident and decided to accompany Lin Sicheng personally. The affairs at the Center could only be entrusted to the three people before him.

He was meticulous, giving instructions to each of them.

Lin Sicheng, on the other hand, was not too worried.

It was only a few hundred kilometers away, taking no more than two or three hours by plane. Even to the farthest point in Jinbei, it would take only one night of driving.

Furthermore, the Center was currently focused mainly on research and training, which Professor Shang could handle.

Of course, there were still things that needed to be addressed, such as with General Manager Zhao.

"General Manager Zhao, it's not that we can't take on commercial restoration, but we can't do it right now... It's not that I don't trust you, but the top priority at this stage is only one thing: the World Heritage Application!"

"The Shanghai Museum didn't pass the approval process the year before last, and they didn't pass this time either. As the saying goes, 'things don't happen a third time.' If they hear that other units are competing with them for the quota, they will definitely go all out to fight us."

"But don't worry, once the application is approved, I will make up for however many you bring in. Just as you said, opening a branch in Beijing then is not impossible..."

Zhao Xiuxian nodded repeatedly.

Lin Sicheng and Zhao Xiuneng had both told him these principles. Even before the Shanhulu was given away, he had already thought of it.

He could also understand the stakes; the so-called "keeping a low profile to make a fortune"—he could still calculate which was more and which was less.

The reason he brought it up from time to time was for fear of being beaten to the punch by others.

"Don't worry, Professor Lin, I understand!" Zhao Xiuxian patted his chest, "I won't tell anyone!"

"Good!" Lin Sicheng smiled, "Give my regards to the old lady!"

Zhao Xiuxian nodded solemnly.

After waiting for a while longer, Wang Qi Zhi finally finished his instructions. He waved his hand, and the nine people got into the two cars.

Zhao Da and Zhao Er acted as drivers; Zhao Xiuneng, the two assistants, and the Data Clerk Xiao Liu sat in the Mercedes-Benz. Lin Sicheng, Wang Qi Zhi, and Ye Anning sat in the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Ye Anning was tagging along: the Poly spring auction was in June, and collections had to start three months in advance. When the company was arranging personnel for the branch, she volunteered to go to Shanxi.

According to her: it was a pure waste to let Lin Sicheng's skills sit idle. If he had time, he could take a look for her, so she wouldn't end up collecting a pile of fakes.

But Lin Sicheng estimated it wouldn't work out: the destinations for this inspection were mostly in cities and counties, and he wouldn't be staying in Taiyuan or Datong for more than a few days.

"It's not like only Taiyuan and Datong have antiques, right?" Ye Anning didn't care, "Anyway, wherever you go, I go!"

"That's true!" Lin Sicheng nodded, "City Level definitely has them, but I don't know if County Level does?"

"Why go to the County Level?"

"The kilns we are inspecting this time are mostly at the county level; for example, the Chengni Inkstone is in Xinjing, and the Black Glaze Carved Flower Porcelain is in Pingding. If we don't go to the counties, where would we go?"

Ye Anning was unconcerned: "Then I'll go to the counties too."

"Just joining in the fun, are you?" Lin Sicheng let out a "ha," "When you can't collect anything then, let's see what you do?"

"I'll ask my uncles?" Ye Anning said as a matter of course, "Three uncles, if each one spares two or three pieces, isn't that enough for me to finish the job?"

Wang Qi Zhi shook his head without even thinking: "Don't ask me, I don't have any."

"I don't need to ask you!" Ye Anning waved her hand, "Aunt said, if no one helps me, she will help me get it done!"

Wang Qi Zhi was stunned: after all that talk, she was still just tagging along for the fun of it?

But this time was different from the last: Lin Sicheng said they were going to the counties, but once they went, they would definitely have to go down into the Kiln Furnace.

Last time they were supposed to go down, but Tongchuan didn't allow it.

To be honest, even he, as an uncle, couldn't endure that kind of hardship, let alone Ye Anning?

At the thought of the sixty or seventy-degree heat, and staying there for several days at a time, Wang Qi Zhi felt anxious for Lin Sicheng: "If it doesn't work out, just take a look from the outside; it's best not to go down into the kiln."

Lin Sicheng shook his head: "Without going into the kiln, one cannot know the principle of kiln transmutation coloring, and it's hard to master the temperature and atmosphere reactions!"

Wang Qi Zhi thought for a moment: "After we get there, I'll try to see if I can get a copy of the data!"

Lin Sicheng didn't speak; he estimated it would be very difficult.

Because the projects this time were fundamentally different from the Yaozhou Porcelain: although both were restorations of lost ancient techniques, Yaozhou Porcelain had already successfully applied for World Heritage status, while the Chengni Inkstone and Pingding Black Glaze were still in the approval and application stages.

Secondly, Yaozhou Porcelain had never left Tongchuan from beginning to end; to be precise, it had never left Chenlu Town in Yaozhou District, and no one was competing with them.

But the Chengni Inkstone was different. From the Tang to the Ming dynasties, from Jiang Prefecture downwards: Zhengping, Yicheng, Quwo, Wenxi, Yuanqu, Taiping, Jiang, and other counties—roughly the area around the Linfen Basin—all had a history of firing them.

Developing to the present, it was already distributed across three prefecture-level cities. Since it is "Jiang Prefecture Inkstone," why can you apply for World Heritage status, but I cannot?

Therefore, until the third review was finished and the public announcement stage was reached, who would dare to hand over core data to outsiders?

With the lesson of Tongchuan in mind, Lin Sicheng felt it was better not to force people to do things they didn't want to. Even if he basically understood the firing process and even most of the technical skills.

Besides, his goal was only to perfect the Artifact Restoration technology, not to imitate; he could understand it just by looking at the kiln for a few moments, so there was no need to force others to be the bad guy.

Thinking secretly, the car got onto the Lianhuo Expressway, passed through Weinan and Huayin, and after exiting Tongguan, got onto the Yunfeng Expressway.

But this section was under renovation, with a maximum speed limit of sixty, and many construction sections only allowed thirty. By the time they reached Yuncheng, it was already past two in the afternoon.

After a hasty meal and dropping their luggage at the hotel, Wang Qi Zhi took the assistants and the Data Clerk Xiao Liu to the City Government for coordination.

Not long after the three left, Ye Anning came to knock on the door. Fang Jin opened the door, and she peered in from the doorway: Lin Sicheng was leaning against the sofa watching TV.

"I thought you had already started getting busy?"

"It's not like half a day makes a difference?" Lin Sicheng glanced at her: "Want to go out?"

Ye Anning nodded: "Are you going to the Guan Sheng Temple?"

Huh?

Jiezhou, the hometown of Guan Yunchang, was in Yuncheng. The Yuncheng Guandu Temple was the earliest built, largest in area, highest in regulation, and most completely preserved Guan Di temple complex in the country, hailed as the "Ancestor of Martial Temples."

Whether it's early or late is secondary; the point is the excitement...

"Today is the thirtieth of the first lunar month, and the day after tomorrow is the Dragon Raises Its Head, when we welcome the Four Sages (Yao, Shun, Yu, and Guan)!" Lin Sicheng calculated on his fingers, "Sister Anning, you just want to go have fun, right?"

"Not at all... I checked before we came; the largest cultural relic and antique market in the southern Shanxi region is right at the Guan Sheng Temple in Jiezhou. Starting the day after tomorrow, the antique market will be closed for three days, which is why I'm in a hurry!"

Ye Anning argued plausibly, "I even called General Manager Zhao; if you don't believe me, look!"

Zhao Xiuneng poked his head out at the right moment and even gave him a smile.

But Lin Sicheng knew at a glance that Zhao Xiuneng had been coaxed out by Ye Anning: General Manager Zhao, Lin Sicheng says he wants to go to Guan Sheng Temple, are you going or not?

Could Zhao Xiuneng really say he wasn't going?

Actually, Lin Sicheng quite wanted to go too: since the Song Dynasty, Yuncheng has welcomed the Four Sages every second day of the second lunar month, a tradition passed down for over a thousand years. Since he happened to be here, he definitely had to take a look.

"But it's only the second day of the second lunar month the day after tomorrow; they're still preparing today, so there shouldn't be much to see!"

Ye Anning refused to budge: "I already said, we're going to the antique market!"

Heh?

Assistant Ye, the company asked you to collect Cultural Relics, and you're planning to collect them from street stalls?

That place is indeed the largest cultural relic and antique market in southern Shanxi, but Panjiayuan is still the largest in the whole country; why don't you try collecting there?

The fakes would drown you.

Ye Anning just wanted to go have fun.

"Let's go!" Lin Sicheng turned off the television, "Is Senior Brother Fang going?"

"Teacher Lin, I won't go; I'm going to organize some data!"

"Alright!"

Lin Sicheng nodded and picked up his coat.

It wasn't far, just across the Salt Lake; once they left the hotel, they could see the North Mountain Gate of the Guan Sheng Temple.

In his previous life, Lin Sicheng had been invited by the Shanxi Department of Industry to visit once. He had formed a Consultant group with several Experts to provide guidance on the craftsmanship protection and brand development of the Shanxi Three Treasures.

He stayed for about half a year, and it was during that time that he gained a detailed understanding of the Jiangzhou Chengni Inkstone, the Jincheng Fahua Ware, and the Pinyao Polished Lacquerware.

These three were all crafts that had been lost and then restored; the Polished Lacquerware successfully completed its World Heritage Application in 2006, and the Chengni Inkstone had already passed its third review and was about to enter the public announcement period.

Only the Fahua Ware was remembered as not having anyone start exploring it until next year, taking eight years until it was successfully restored in 2017.

Because this thing is very unique: the base is a pottery body, but it uses the firing technique of porcelain, while the Glaze Material composition and glazing method are the same as glazed pottery.

So it can be called pottery, it can be called porcelain, and it can even be called glazed ware.

The craft is very special and also very complex, so it is extremely difficult to restore.

Lin Sicheng prepared to find an opportunity to see if he could cooperate with the local industrial departments.

He roughly understood the craft; the difficulty lay in the core data. For example, the Glaze Material ratio, or the sintering temperature; both of these items required repeated testing and repeated trial firings.

As long as there were enough samples, he could restore it in as long as half a year or as short as two or three months.

Even if it were just for the sake of "restoring it nine years early" and excavating a locally unique traditional craft ahead of time to increase new growth points for local industry and economic development, this was a matter worth doing.

The local departments certainly wouldn't refuse; as long as this matter could be negotiated, the remaining Chengni Inkstone and Pingding Black Glaze would naturally fall into place.

But the difficulty was, how to find an opportunity?

This wasn't Blue and White Porcelain or Yaozhou Kiln, where there were documents and samples. There were only a few sparse lines recorded in the Nanyao Notes.

Even if he said he learned it from a book, wouldn't he have to point out which book?

Thinking secretly, the car arrived at the destination; Lin Sicheng got out of the car and couldn't help but squint his eyes.

Sure enough, the largest antique market in southern Shanxi?

Stalls were set up starting from outside the mountain gate, with stalls squeezed against stalls and shops next to shops along the huge passageway. Past the archway and heading inside, they were set up all the way to the commercial street; even the entrances to restaurants were filled with antiques.

The items were of all shapes and colors, making one's eyes dazzle.

Walking and looking, like a fleeting glance, Lin Sicheng stopped when he saw a porcelain stall.

It was all Blue and White Porcelain, with plates, cups, bottles, and jars; most were complete pieces, but there were also some damaged pieces with chips or cracks.

In the corner toward the back, there were also two boxes of porcelain shards.

Don't say, there were quite a few real things at this stall, although most were Folk Kiln pieces from the late Qing Dynasty or the Republic of China.

Looking closely, he squinted his eyes again: on top of the box of porcelain shards sat a base, he didn't know if it was the base of a bottle or a jar, only half remained.

On it remained three blue regular script characters: Tianshun Year...

Tianshun Year what, Made in the Tianshun Year of the Great Ming?

Strange?

This is the Black Three Generations of the Great Ming...