Chapter 89

While Zhang Tianyuan was busy studying the calligraphy in his hand, several more items were auctioned off.

Basically, the few people Zhang Tianyuan knew had all made satisfactory purchases, and many others had also gained something.

After all, by this point, the auction was in its final stages. If they didn't get something now, they would miss their chance.

The woman with the large perm bought a cold, gleaming ancient bronze sword, which was said to be from the Qin Dynasty. It was dug up from a tomb by a tomb raider, who hadn't dared to publicize it until this auction. The final bid reached 1.5 million, making it one of the standout items of the day.

The Japanese man bought a fake painting by Tang Bohu. No one competed with him for it, as it was a forgery. The final price was 50,000, and he felt it was worth the trip.

The Korean man and woman were a bit frustrated. The items they wanted were all snatched away by others. By this point, they were still empty-handed, and with the last item about to be auctioned, they were getting restless.

The two blonde foreigners also got what they wanted, a piece of Qing dynasty folk kiln porcelain. The final price was 40,000. This item wasn't considered a masterpiece, so no one competed with them. After all, folk kiln items weren't even eligible for export in the past, and only the finest pieces could be exported, which were much more valuable than this.

The old lady with the dragon-headed cane bought a purple sandalwood cane with a dragon head. The final price was 3 million, making it the highest-priced item so far. However, this old lady was truly impressive; as soon as she won the bid, she threw away the cane she was holding.

Without Zhang Tianyuan's guidance, Xu Gang was feeling drowsy. He didn't understand anything except jade, so he watched others bid enthusiastically but didn't dare to bid himself, fearing he might buy a fake and make a fool of himself.

It wasn't until the final item was about to be presented that Xu Gang, anxious, patted Zhang Tianyuan's shoulder and said, "The key item is coming. Don't space out. You want the relic, right? Don't miss it."

Hearing this, Zhang Tianyuan couldn't afford to be distracted anymore. He put the calligraphy in his hand and looked up at the stage.

Yang Yijun was very cautious this time. He personally unveiled the red cloth and said, "The auction has been very successful so far. The highest bid so far is 3 million RMB for the purple sandalwood dragon-headed cane. However, the next item is the true highlight of the auction. As I mentioned, whoever wins this item will also receive a relic of a high monk."

"What is this item? It's a Ming Dynasty Zhu Sansong bamboo carving of the Peach Garden Oath pen holder! Zhu Sansong is a renowned bamboo carver from the Ming Dynasty. His real name is Zhi Zheng, and his style name is Sansong. His birth and death dates are unknown, but he was active during the late Ming Dynasty. He was from Jiading, Jiangsu, which is now Shangpu."

"He came from a family of bamboo carvers. His grandfather, Zhu Songlin, was skilled in calligraphy and painting and excelled in high relief, round sculpture, and bamboo carving, founding the Jiading school of bamboo carving. He carved pen holders, incense holders, cups, hairpins, and other items. His father, Zhu Ying, was also skilled in calligraphy and painting, and his bamboo carvings were ingeniously conceived and exquisitely crafted, with a surviving incense holder depicting Liu and Ruan entering Tiantai. Zhu Sansong inherited his family's skills and often used literary works as themes. His carvings are vivid and full of emotion, demonstrating a high level of artistry."

"Zhu Sansong generally did not carve war-themed items, and a Three Kingdoms theme is unheard of. This piece is absolutely a masterpiece among masterpieces, a one-of-a-kind item. If you have a discerning eye, you can come up and take a look, but be careful not to damage it. The starting bid for this bamboo pen holder is 2 million, and the minimum increment is 100,000. If it gets damaged, most of you here can afford to pay, but it would be a significant loss."

It was clear that although Yang Yijun wasn't an expert in calligraphy, he had some knowledge of bamboo carvings. He was confident in the authenticity of this item, so he set a very high starting bid, which deterred many people. However, there were still wealthy individuals willing to bid for such a fine piece.

According to Zhang Tianyuan's knowledge, the highest market price for a Zhu Sansong item is around 5 million. If this piece is genuine, it could fetch even more because, as Yang Yijun said, Zhu Sansong's bamboo carvings rarely feature a Three Kingdoms theme, making it extremely rare. Additionally, the Three Kingdoms theme is very popular in Asia and even worldwide, especially in Korea and Japan, where the influence of the Three Kingdoms is significant. Therefore, items with this theme are highly sought after.

Of course, Zhang Tianyuan, who had already decided to bid on this highlight, wouldn't miss this opportunity. He went up with Tu Shou, Mother Yi, the old lady with the dragon-headed cane, and several experts to carefully examine the bamboo carving. Given the high price, it was crucial to verify its authenticity. Otherwise, buying a fake would be a significant loss.

Bamboo carving art, initiated by the Zhu family of Jiading during the mid-Ming Dynasty, gradually developed into one of the most literati-oriented arts in China by the mid-Qing Dynasty. Many scholars admired the bamboo's integrity, so many Song Dynasty paintings featured bamboo, symbolizing its resilience and purity.

This item on the table is 19 centimeters tall and 14 centimeters in diameter, making it a large piece among bamboo items. The patterns on the top and bottom are carved in shallow relief, with meticulous attention to detail. The carver used a ruler to measure, and the patterns on the top and bottom are in opposite directions but perfectly aligned.

Upon closer inspection, the composition depicts the well-known Peach Garden Oath, with Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei carved vividly. The carving is simple yet captures the characters' expressions and emotions. When you look at their faces, it feels as if you've been transported to the Three Kingdoms period, witnessing their oath of brotherhood.

The peach blossoms in the composition are a masterpiece. Each petal falling from the sky seems to be floating and flying, not static, showcasing the carver's exceptional skill, which is truly rare.

In the lower right corner, the inscription "Made by Sansong" is carved in blue. On the upper left, a green inscription in clerical script reads a poem by Emperor Qianlong:

A skilled craftsman tries his hand,

In the Peach Garden, three heroes stand.

Their ambitions hidden deep,

Their bond of brotherhood, a shield to keep.

No trace of the axe, yet the form is true,

The spirit and charm, forever new.

The pen and brush may mock,

But this art, they cannot evoke.

The poem is signed "Your humble servant, Yongxuan," with two seals: "Your humble servant, Yongxuan" and "Respectfully written."

The carving style is typical of the Ming Dynasty Jiading school. The figures, rocks, and clouds are all carved in high relief, especially the figures, which are almost in the round, giving a sense of realism. The bamboo grove is carved in openwork, a technique that was not seen after the mid-Qing Dynasty.

Therefore, Zhang Tianyuan was almost certain that this pen holder was a genuine work by the Ming Dynasty Jiading bamboo carver Zhu Zhi Zheng. It is a representative piece of early Jiading style and can be considered a twin treasure alongside Zhu Ying's "Liu and Ruan Entering Tiantai" pen holder in the history of Chinese bamboo carving.

Zhang Tianyuan was not a complete novice; he had some knowledge and appreciation skills. He always tried to appreciate the items himself before using the six-character mantra to improve his skills.

As the saying goes, "If you don't think ahead, you will have problems soon." He didn't know if his ability would suddenly disappear one day. If it did, and his appraisal skills hadn't improved, it would be a significant loss.

Even if it didn't disappear, having some appraisal skills and knowledge would be useful, even for convincing others. Otherwise, if someone asked him to explain and he couldn't say anything, it would be embarrassing.

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