Chapter 10

The如意首's four treasures, plus the three treasures on the handle, and the Dharma wheel at the end of the handle, make up the Eight Auspicious Symbols. These are the eight treasures of Tibetan Buddhism, symbolizing the eight material objects representing the power of Buddhism. The Eight Auspicious Symbols are often used as decorations on porcelain from the Ming and Qing dynasties, but it is rare to see them on a jade如意.

This particular如意is made of rare and fine material, exquisitely crafted, and exudes a royal aura. Judging by its patina, carving techniques, and other features, it should be a fine piece from the Qianlong period of the Qing dynasty. What is most remarkable is that this如意is in perfect condition, without a single scratch, making it a masterpiece among masterpieces, which cannot help but elicit heartfelt admiration.

Seeing that no one in the room had any doubts, Zhao Qirui sighed, "What a fine jade如意!"

He then bowed to everyone and said, "I would be grateful if you could let me have this treasure. I thank you in advance."

Given his words, everyone was willing to give Zhao Qirui the face. Moreover, among those present, only Zhu Dafu and Zhao Qirui had the means to purchase the如意. Since Zhu Dafu had already acquired a set of furniture, he was unlikely to compete further.

After thanking everyone, Zhao Qirui turned to Old Li and said, "Old Li, I genuinely like this如意. Could you please give me a fair price?"

Old Li, pleased by this, pondered for a moment and said, "Since this gentleman really likes it, I won't be pretentious. I'll give it to you for two million."

Two million yuan. At an auction, a如意of this quality might fetch more, but in a regular transaction, it was a bit expensive. However, in the world of antiques, "sky-high asking price, rock-bottom offer" is the norm. Although Old Li's price was not exorbitant, there was still room for negotiation.

Zhao Qirui thought for a moment and said, "Old Li, at an auction, this如意might fetch a bit more, but not by much. Let me offer you a fair price: 1.6 million. What do you think?"

Old Li pondered for a long time. 1.6 million was acceptable, but no one ever complained about too much money. He raised the price and said, "1.6 million is a bit low. How about 1.8 million?"

Zhao Qirui frowned, thought for a while, and said, "Let's split the difference. 1.7 million. How about that?"

Old Li thought for a moment and nodded, "Alright, let's do it your way."

Next, the doucai lotus pond mandarin duck pattern bowl was sold to Uncle Wu for 65,000 yuan, to everyone's satisfaction.

At this point, Zhao Xueyi asked Old Li, "Old Li, after so many years of collecting, do you have any other fine treasures to show us?"

Old Li smiled awkwardly and said, "I'm sorry, but I've already given a few fine pieces to my friends. However, I do have one piece with some artistic value, though there is some controversy among the experts I consulted. Would you like to see it?"

Old Li's words piqued everyone's curiosity, and they all expressed their interest.

About five minutes later, Old Li walked in carrying a blue-and-white porcelain jar. As soon as he entered, everyone was captivated by the jar in his arms. When he placed it on the table, everyone saw the full view of the blue-and-white jar and gasped in amazement, turning to look at Old Li.

Old Li, seemingly anticipating their reaction, smiled and said, "This jar is 22.4 cm tall and 28 cm in diameter. It is a blue-and-white porcelain jar from the Xuande period of the Ming dynasty."

Before anyone could react, Qian Changxing eagerly asked, "Old Li, can we take a closer look?"

Seeing Old Li nod, he put on gloves and carefully examined the jar, using a magnifying glass to inspect it in detail. After putting it down, he excitedly said, "This blue-and-white jar is clearly a genuine piece from the Xuande period. Were the experts you consulted not competent?"

Although this statement affirmed the jar's value, it was somewhat unsettling. Old Li frowned, and Zhao Qirui pulled Qian Changxing aside.

Afterward, Uncle Wu and others also came forward to examine the jar. Zhao Xueyi found no issues, but Uncle Wu and Zhu Dafu looked a bit doubtful.

Finally, Chu Chen put on gloves and began to carefully examine the blue-and-white jar.

Gloves are a common tool in the antique trade. Many antiques are precious and delicate, and human hands can carry bacteria and moisture, which can damage them. Gloves provide protection. Moreover, the gloves Chu Chen wore had small rubber particles to prevent slipping and avoid accidentally dropping the antique.

As soon as he picked up the jar, Chu Chen couldn't help but admire it.

Blue-and-white porcelain, also known as white ground blue-and-white porcelain, is one of the main varieties of Chinese porcelain and belongs to the underglaze painted porcelain category. It is made by painting designs on the ceramic body using cobalt oxide from cobalt ore, then covering it with a transparent glaze and firing it at high temperature in a reducing atmosphere. The cobalt turns blue after firing, with strong coloring power, bright color, high firing rate, and stable color.

Primitive blue-and-white porcelain appeared during the Tang and Song dynasties, but mature blue-and-white porcelain emerged in the Yuan dynasty at the Hutian kiln in Jingdezhen. During the Ming dynasty, blue-and-white porcelain became the mainstream. It reached its peak during the Kangxi period of the Qing dynasty.

Among the blue-and-white porcelains produced during the Xuande period of the Ming dynasty, they are renowned for their simple and elegant shapes, bright and vivid blue, and diverse patterns, representing the pinnacle of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain craftsmanship.

Wang Shixing of the Ming dynasty wrote in "Guangzhiyi," "The best kilns of our dynasty are the Xuande and Chenghua kilns, with the Xuande kiln excelling in blue-and-white and the Chenghua kiln in five-color porcelain."

The "Jingdezhen Tao Lu" praised the Xuande kiln porcelain, saying, "All materials are of the finest quality, with blue-and-white being the most valuable," and its artistic achievements were described as "opening a new era of unparalleled excellence."

Xu Zhiheng wrote in "Yinliuzhai Shuo Ci," "The beauty of Xuande kiln porcelain is the best of the Ming dynasty, not only in Xuande red and Xuande yellow, but also in blue-and-white and five-color porcelain, which were widely imitated by later generations."

These evaluations all speak to the unparalleled achievements of Xuande imperial kiln porcelain.

This blue-and-white jar has a plain inner wall, a neck decorated with branch flowers, and lotus petal patterns on the shoulder and near the base. The main pattern on the body is a variety of scrolling flowers, including peonies, tea flowers, lotus, and chrysanthemums, with fluid and graceful lines and beautiful and charming forms.

The scrolling flower pattern on the body, also known as "Wanshou Teng," symbolizes "eternal life" due to its continuous structure. The composition is spacious and natural, with appropriate blank spaces, avoiding the common problem of overly dense and cramped patterns. The brushwork is delicate, yet not overly delicate, and the bold and vigorous style of Xuande blue-and-white is evident in the contrast of light and dark.

The glaze is warm and lustrous, with a rich inner glow, giving a sense of enduring beauty over centuries, complementing the rich and elegant blue-and-white. The base is glazed white, with a double blue circle containing the six-character inscription "Made in the Xuande period of the Great Ming dynasty," in a simple and robust style, exuding ancient charm.

From this blue-and-white jar, it is clear that the high praise from previous experts is well-deserved. It can be judged that this jar has an 80% chance of being a genuine Xuande period blue-and-white jar, and it is a fine piece.

However, considering Old Li's earlier comments and the doubtful looks on Uncle Wu and Zhu Dafu's faces, Chu Chen suspected there was more to the story. He decided to use his special ability.

After using his ability, Chu Chen was astonished. This blue-and-white jar turned out to be a high-quality imitation, specifically from the Republican era. This led him to suspect something. He then took out a magnifying glass and examined the jar thoroughly, and his suspicions were confirmed.

Chu Chen carefully placed the jar back on the table and shook his head slightly at Uncle Wu and the others.

"Ha!"

Qian Changxing laughed mockingly and said with disdain, "Young man, don't be arrogant. This is clearly a genuine Xuande blue-and-white jar, and you say it's not real. Wu Zhiping, I suggest you take him back and study for another ten or twenty years to avoid embarrassing yourself."

Chu Chen, irritated by this, said, "What is real is real, and what is not real is not real. I'm not like some people who, despite their failing eyesight, still lie with their eyes open."

Qian Changxing, unperturbed, laughed and said, "Fine, if you say it's not real, point out the flaws to everyone."

Chu Chen looked around, gave a reassuring nod to Uncle Wu and the others, and said to Old Qian, "Old Qian, do you mind if I explain?"

Old Qian shook his head and said, "Of course not. To be honest, this blue-and-white jar has puzzled me for over twenty years. I'd be grateful if you could solve the mystery."

Chu Chen nodded and organized his thoughts before saying, "I believe everyone has examined this blue-and-white jar in detail. The shape is beautiful, the patterns are meticulously painted, the lines are fluid, and the patterns are clear, giving a sense of completeness. The patina is thick, suggesting it is a genuine piece from the Xuande period."

"We know that Xuande blue-and-white porcelain has a fine, white, and hard body. However, if you look closely with a magnifying glass, you can see that the body of this jar has a slight yellowish tinge."

At this point, Qian Changxing interjected, "A slight yellowish tinge? That's just nitpicking. What does it prove? What a joke!"

Chu Chen looked at him and said, "Why are you in such a hurry? Have I finished speaking?"

Qian Changxing mocked, "Fine, go on. I'm eager to hear your insights."

Chu Chen shook his head and continued, "Let's talk about the cobalt blue. As everyone knows, blue-and-white porcelain uses both imported and domestic cobalt blue. From the imperial pieces, the imported cobalt blue is predominantly used. This imported cobalt blue, known as Su-ma-li-qing, comes from Persia."

"Porcelain made with this cobalt blue has a deep, rich blue color with a natural, diffused effect. The color fuses into the glaze, appearing to penetrate the body. In particularly dark areas, it forms silver-black crystalline spots that have a tin-like luster under certain light and appear in triangular shapes. The surface feels uneven to the touch."