Chapter 430: Waiting Right Here?

Wang Qi Zhi tried hard to recall: It felt like he and Lin Sicheng hadn't been together for only a few days, right?

At that time, Lin Sicheng was annoyed to death by the song and dance troupe and was still hiding here and there. Just in these two or three days of not seeing each other, he had pulled off such a big stunt? "It's not... Lin Sicheng, you just went out for these two or three days?"

Lin Sicheng was noncommittal: "Good luck!"

Wang Qi Zhi was stunned: This was more than just good luck?

Gold mountains fall from the sky every day, and they don't hit anyone else, but choose to hit him?

Amidst his emotions, Lin Sicheng took the items out: There were seven pieces in total, six of which were brush washers, though one was broken.

In addition, there was one with extremely poor quality that looked, no matter how one looked at it, like a failed firing of a blue and white bowl.

Wang Qi Zhi examined them carefully from top to bottom.

Comparatively speaking, his appraisal ability was definitely inferior to Lin Sicheng and Lv Chenglong. Firstly, he focused on academic research, and appraisal and collection were just side interests. Also, due to his family background, he had no concept of money, so he couldn't be said to be very fond of it, and naturally, he put in less effort.

Furthermore, his specialty was metal cultural relics; regarding porcelain, he could at most be considered knowledgeable, not proficient.

But basic appraisal was definitely no problem; Wang Qi Zhi could at least judge which piece was earlier and which was later.

From the earliest piece to the latest piece, the time difference was at least over two hundred years.

After looking for a while, he looked suspicious: "The era gap is so long, but why is the vessel shape exactly the same?"

Lin Sicheng replied without hesitation: "It should be a funerary object that formed a fixed convention!"

As the name implies: When the grandfather died, such a piece was buried. When the father died, such a piece was also buried, and when it came time for the grandson to die, naturally there would be no exception, and such a piece had to be buried as well.

Therefore, it was only then that there appeared vessel shapes and colors that were exactly the same despite a time gap of two or three hundred years.

But it didn't seem quite right?

Wang Qi Zhi frowned: "What kind of family would require the burial objects of every generation to be of the exact same specifications?"

Lin Sicheng was concise: "Feudal Lord, Daimyo!"

Wang Qi Zhi was stunned for a moment: "Which family?"

"Saga Domain, Nabeshima Clan."

A Japanese Feudal Lord?

Wang Qi Zhi couldn't help but be startled: He had previously thought that these few items were just early in time and made by famous people. He hadn't thought that they would actually involve ancient Japanese Feudal Lords?

The so-called domain refers to the feudal states of the Japanese Edo Period (1603-1868), and the Daimyo were the lords. In Chinese terms, this means Feudal Lord. To put it simply: During the reign of the 107th Emperor of Japan, Hehito, the Shogun Clan Head (who did not hold the title of Shogun but had the reality of a Shogun, similar to a Regent) Toyotomi Hideyoshi passed away, and various major families launched a civil war to seize power. Finally, Tokugawa Ieyasu won, founded the Edo Period, and the Tokugawa family became the new Shogun, namely the Tokugawa Shogunate.

After pacifying the world, Tokugawa Ieyasu rewarded merit: Tokugawa Ieyasu's direct third son was the "Gosanke". Tokugawa branch families were "Gokamon". Vassals from before the war were "Fudai", and large domains that watched before the war and submitted after the war were "Tozama".

The Nabeshima Clan was one of the Tozama, ranking second among all Tozama domain lords, second only to the Kaga Maeda.

And there is a saying in Japan called "Three Thousand Domains of Edo," meaning that during the Edo period, due to war and political factors, the families of domain lords changed very quickly. But the Nabeshima Clan was one of the few families that held their domain for generations throughout the Edo period, ruling the domain for two hundred and sixty-five years by the end of the Shogunate era. There were only seven such families, including three Tokugawa collateral families. Among the Fudai and Tozama domains, only the Kaga Maeda and Nabeshima ruled for so long.

Therefore, if viewed from the perspective of Japanese history, the Nabeshima Clan were Feudal Lords in the true sense.

And for something like this before us, which has formed a fixed convention where every generation of Daimyo must be buried with it, how should it be counted?

Subconsciously, a few terms flashed through Wang Qi Zhi's mind: Yellow bowel-shaped wooden chamber, Gold Thread Jade Suit...

It was no wonder he raised the level so high; he truly couldn't find a more suitable reference.

If we change the perspective and combine it with the industrial technology level of Japan at that time, as well as the influence of Li Canping and Sakaida Kakiemon at the time, in the minds of the Japanese, the historical positioning and value of these items might be even higher.

So, how significant and how valuable must these items be to Japan?

Looking at the broken one, Wang Qi Zhi looked pained: "How did it become like this?"

"The seller smashed it, but if he didn't smash it, I would have had to."

"Why did you have to smash it?"

"Teacher, because if I didn't smash this one, I wouldn't be able to prove that this earlier one was also fired by Li Canping..."

Lin Sicheng gave a rough explanation, and Wang Qi Zhi was both shocked and delighted.

What shocked him was that the smashed piece was nine times out of ten fired by Li Canping himself.

First is the era, about four hundred years ago, which was exactly around the time Li Canping arrived in Japan and found the porcelain stone mine in Aritagawa, Saga. It could be said: At that time, in all of Japan, only Li Canping knew how to imitate Ru Porcelain.

Second is the technology: Only Li Canping could use porcelain stone with extremely low aluminum content and extremely high silicon content to fire a Sky Blue Glaze that was indistinguishable from the Ming Imitation Ru Porcelain of the same period.

If such an item were intact, how valuable would it be?

What delighted him was that if he didn't smash this one, he couldn't verify the other one. The key was that the other one was even more valuable: that blue and white bowl that he thought looked like waste.

Precisely because it was inferior, precisely because it was rough, and precisely because the technology was not up to par, it just happened to show: these were the very early trial firings by Li Canping around the time he arrived in Japan and discovered the Aritagawa porcelain stone mine.

Wang Qi Zhi could guarantee that the history of this bowl was earlier than the Red-Painted Bowl in the Tokyo National Museum. It was definitely the earliest porcelain discovered in Japan to date.

Wang Qi Zhi took a sharp breath: "How to verify it?"

"Era traces, craftsmanship characteristics!" Lin Sicheng pointed to the blue and white bowl, then pointed to the broken brush washer, "Plus the hidden mark of the character 'Rain' on the bottom of the bowl, it can basically be confirmed that these two items were fired by Li Canping himself in the early Edo period, or even earlier." "Secondly, the porcelain body composition: Last night, Director Lv and I did some research and discussed it: the porcelain body composition of the blue and white bowl and the broken brush washer are very different: first is iron, second is manganese, third is titanium..."

The first two are easy to explain: mining porcelain stone from different mines in the same mountain, it is normal for iron and manganese content to be different. But what is not normal is the titanium: this kind of thing, Japan has a lot of mineral deposits, but Saga does not. At least, so far, no titanium mine has been detected in Saga..." "Third, the era: This blue and white bowl was clearly fired a bit earlier than this broken brush washer. At least five years, at most ten years..." Wang Qi Zhi was stunned: This meant that after Li Canping arrived in Japan, he had prospected for porcelain stone mines in other places?

But the Records of the Grand Historian of Japan clearly recorded: After Li Canping arrived in Japan, the first thing he discovered was the Izumiyama porcelain stone in Aritagawa, Saga Domain. So, in a sense: this bowl rewrote Japanese history.

Eh, maybe more than that?

Since this bowl was fired by Li Canping before he discovered the Izumiyama porcelain stone, does that mean: this ugly-looking blue and white bowl is very likely the first piece of porcelain in Japanese history?

For example: China's first piece of Bronze.

In an instant, Wang Qi Zhi's eyes widened: So, comparing this thing to the Four Sheep Square Vessel and the Simuwu Ding before was really not an exaggeration?

If calculated this way, how valuable would this thing be?

An old friend of eight or nine years, one look and he knew what he was thinking, Lv Chenglong said "Heh": "You only see the money?"

Wang Qi Zhi was righteous: "Nonsense, if I don't look at money, what do I look at, contribution?"

Lv Chenglong was stunned: "Aren't you being argumentative?"

"Why don't you look at the process of the evolution of Japanese porcelain craftsmanship reflected in these items? Why don't you look at the historical value, artistic value, and the highly representative scientific value?"

Wang Qi Zhi curled his lips: "In the end, doesn't it still have to be converted into money?"

One sentence choked Lv Chenglong until he rolled his eyes: "Hopeless?"

He pointed to them one by one: "This blue and white piece was produced at the end of the Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573-1603, before the Edo period)! This broken Brush Washer was produced during the Edo Martial Period (early Edo period, 1600-1615). This one, which is the one in the best condition and the most accurately imitated, was produced during the Sakoku Period (1615-1639...)"

"The third piece, this relatively older one, was produced during the Bunji Bakuhan Period (1651-1688). The fourth piece was produced during the Genroku Culture Period (1688-17...)"

"The fifth piece was produced during the Kyoho Period; the Tenmei Period (1716-1745), and the sixth piece was produced during the Tanuma Okitsugu Period (1767-172...)" After a slight pause, Lv Chenglong raised his head, a trace of mockery on his face: "You are a professor of archaeology after all, and you are not unfamiliar with Japanese history. Come, recall: what happened in Japan during these time periods? You are even more of an Expert in Cultural Relics, so ponder what these items represent." Wang Qi Zhi's expression gradually became strange: During the Martial Period, the Tokugawa family used military force to suppress the Daimyo, and in 1615, they destroyed the Toyotomi clan at the Siege of Osaka, officially beginning the Tokugawa Shogunate era.

The following year, Tokugawa Ieyasu promulgated the Buke Shohatto, testing the closure of the country, which was completed in 1639; Japanese history calls this the Sakoku Period. In 1651, the fourth leader, Tokugawa Hidetada, pushed for civil governance policies, and the Shogunate era entered a period of stability. In 1688, Japan entered a period of prosperity, which Japanese history calls the Genroku culture.

In 1704, Japan underwent national Reform, and the eighth leader, Tokugawa Yoshimune, pushed for the Kyoho Reform. In 1767, the Tokugawa retainer Tanuma Okitsugu reformed Japan again, implementing a pro-mercantile policy. In 1787, the retainer Matsudaira Sadanobu reformed again, implementing the Kansei policy.

This means these seven items happen to be from periods of major change in Japan; what does this mean?

It means that each of these seven items involves the productivity, economic system, and political system of Japan during that same period.

It even involves important nodes in the development of Japanese social history during the same period.

The key is that the craftsmanship characteristics of these items basically completely cover the development of productivity, the progress of production technology, and scientific innovation at each stage of Japan's Edo period.

At this point, it is no longer a question of who fired them, and certainly not a question of whose tomb they were buried in. Rather, they are representative Cultural Relics that can reflect Japan's politics, economy, military, technology, culture, art, and so on and so forth over the two hundred years of the Edo period.

If you ask how important they are?

Take an analogy, China's gunpowder: Daoist alchemists in the Han Dynasty — used for rockets at the end of the Tang and the Five Dynasties — used to make cannons in the Song Dynasty — used to make landmines and larger cannons in the Ming Dynasty.

Don't find it strange: if you stand from the perspective of reflecting productivity and scientific innovation, the set of porcelain before us is no different from discovering a set of Cultural Relics in China that can completely reflect the major intersections and development process of gunpowder technology from the Han to the Ming, and is extremely representative. The key also lies in: in China, there are many such Cultural Relics. But in Japan, this type of Cultural Relic basically does not exist, or at least there is absolutely none as complete as this. Therefore, one more point must be added: unique...

Wang Qi Zhi raised his head blankly and muttered to himself: "Damn it... how much should this set of things be worth?"

Lv Chenglong exploded on the spot: "Wang Qi Zhi, can you stop talking about money, money, money all the time?"

"If I don't talk about money, am I supposed to talk about contribution?" Wang Qi Zhi let out a "Heh" sound, "I'll just ask you: if someone comes along and asks Lin Sicheng to sign a Technology Authorization Agreement to donate these items, will Lin Sicheng donate them or not?"

"Come, old Lv, put your hand on your heart: no matter who comes, as long as he dares to say that, you would definitely dare to spit in his face, I guarantee I won't talk about money..." Lin Sicheng was stunned for a moment, and Lv Chenglong was even more dumbfounded: So, this is what they were waiting for here?

No wonder the first time he exclaimed, Lv Chenglong made fun of him, but Wang Qi Zhi scoffed: If I don't look at money, what should I look at, contribution? Moreover, every time after that, whenever he felt emotional, he would inevitably sigh: how much must this be worth?

Therefore, ever since he was scared sober and realized how rare these items were, Wang Qi Zhi realized: these items are no longer just important, but extremely, extremely important.

The reason is simple: these items can not only reflect Japan's history, productivity, and science and technology. They are also particularly important representative Cultural Relics that can reflect the relationship between China and foreign countries and their mutual exchanges in politics, economy, technology, culture, art, and other aspects.

This is definitely the official way of saying it. If Wang Qi Zhi were to say it in his own words: without China's technology, the Japanese would still be eating from a mud Bowl... So, don't look at the fact that these items are recent and the technology is average, you cannot compare them with China of the same period. You have to look at where they were produced, and the history, economy, and technological productivity of the place of production at that time.

To put it bluntly: Lin Sicheng probably can't keep these items.

It's not that someone will rob him openly, but: they are too representative, have too much influence, and have almost no technical threshold; it wouldn't take much effort to research them thoroughly.

The so-called "many wolves and little meat," everyone wants a bite, and the key is that they are all from critical departments. In the future, there will definitely be cooperation; will Lin Sicheng refuse or not? But it doesn't matter, isn't he, this teacher, here for exactly this?

You want to share the results, that's fine, but you can't let my student lose money: either Lin Sicheng leads, and no matter how great the influence is, you all rank behind him. Or Lin Sicheng withdraws, and whoever takes the lead, I will transfer the items to them.

What, donate? Are you dreaming?

To buy these items, my student borrowed 200 million; whoever wants to donate, help us pay back this money first, then we'll talk...