The Rise of the Writers of the Republic of China

(PS: "Han Xizai's Night Banquet" was taken to the Northeast by Puyi at this time. Zhang Daqian purchased it after the victory of the Anti-Japanese War. The description in the previous chapter was incorrect and has been corrected.)

Yi Peiji was involved in the protracted "Forbidden City Treasure Theft Case" and has now become a street rat that everyone wants to beat. Compared with last year, he seemed to have aged 20 years suddenly, and even had a lot of gray hair on his temples.

"What painting is it?" Yi Peiji seemed to have lost interest in appreciating antiques.

Zhou Hexuan replied: "The Picture of Han Xizai's Night Banquet".

There were several copies of "Han Xizai's Night Banquet", but Yi Peiji didn't take it too seriously. He thought Zhou Hexuan had just one of the copies. The two of them opened the scroll carefully together. As more and more contents of the scroll were revealed, Yi Peiji finally looked serious.

"Wait a moment!" Yi Peiji found a magnifying glass and put his whole body on it.

Yi Peiji first made an overall observation, then carefully studied the inscriptions and seals of previous collectors, and then observed various details of the painting. After a long time, Yi Peiji's face was full of shock, and he kept saying to himself: "So that's it, that's it!"

Zhou Hexuan asked: "Brother Yincun, is this painting of mine really a copy of the Northern Song Dynasty?"

Yi Peiji shook his head and said with a wry smile: "I'm afraid it's not a copy, but the real ancestor!"

"Ancestor?" Zhou Hexuan was extremely surprised.

"I had the honor to see the "Han Xizai Night Banquet" that Puyi brought from the palace. At that time, I suspected that it was not the original copy, but a Southern Song copy," Yi Peiji said with emotion. "I didn't expect that the original copy would reach the Ming Dynasty." In Cheng’s hands!”

The "Han Xizai Night Banquet" smuggled out from the palace by Pu Yi was collected by successive emperors of the Qing Dynasty, so it was always considered to be the original work during the Republic of China. Only a few experts who have tasted it with their own eyes suspect that it is a Song Dynasty copy. Some people think it is a Northern Song Dynasty copy, and some think it is a Southern Song Dynasty copy, but these doubts are regarded as sensationalism, because people subconsciously feel that the one in the palace should be the real ancestor.

Zhou Hexuan asked: "Is there any basis for this?"

Yi Peiji explained seriously: "Why do I think what Puyi has in his hands is a copy of the Southern Song Dynasty? First, judging from the seals, the earliest collection of seals is from the middle of the Southern Song Dynasty. And according to the "Xuanhe Painting Book", Song Huizong collected five copies One of Gu Hongzhong's works is "Han Xizai's Night Banquet". If the copy in Puyi's hand is the ancestral copy, then it must have the collection seal of Song Huizong, but it does not. Secondly, the copy in Puyi's hand is from the screen. Judging from the landscape painting above, its technique is close to the cutting method of Ma Yuan and others in the Southern Song Dynasty. The painters of the Five Dynasties may not be able to reach this level. The technique of that painting is too advanced; thirdly, the one in Puyi's hand is an artistic expression. The technique is more refined, and is similar to the Southern Song Dynasty's "Female Filial Piety Sutra". I guess it was created by someone from the Southern Song Dynasty."

"So that's it." Zhou Hexuan nodded.

Art, like science, is accumulated from generation to generation. "Han Xizai's Night Banquet" is a work of the Five Dynasties, but some of the techniques and styles in Puyi's hand belong to the Southern Song Dynasty. This is a very big loophole.

Yi Peiji continued: "Mingcheng, the collection seal of the painting in your hand is in line with the documentary records. It contains the poem and seal of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty. There are no flaws in the technique. The style is very close to other paintings of the Southern Tang Dynasty. It is undoubtedly the original product."

"Why is it not a Northern Song Dynasty facsimile, but an authentic copy?" Zhou Hexuan asked again.

Yi Peiji explained: "Because there is the seal of Song Taizong Zhao Guangyi! The painting "Han Xizai's Night Banquet" was painted by Gu Hongzhong on the order of Li Yu, the later master of the Southern Tang Dynasty. Li Yu and Zhao Guangyi were contemporaries. If Zhao Guangyi's collection seal is authentic, so your painting should be the original ancestor. And according to my speculation, this painting should have been captured by the Song Dynasty along with Li Yu when the Southern Tang Dynasty fell."

Zhou Hexuan laughed loudly: "Then I made a profit this time."

"More than just a profit," Yi Peiji said excitedly, "this painting has witnessed a period of history, and its historical research significance is not less than the artistic value of the painting itself. Alas, if there are inscriptions and postscripts by Li Yu, the later master of the Southern Tang Dynasty, or It would have been better if it was the inscription and postscript of Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin, but unfortunately the earliest collector was Zhao Guangyi. In addition, we can also study the collection seals after the Northern Song Dynasty. Based on the information of these collectors, we can deduce a relatively complete collection line. Each collection There is a history hidden behind every painting. This painting alone is enough for cultural relic experts to study for a lifetime!"

Seeing that Yi Peiji couldn't put it down, Zhou Hexuan couldn't help but smile and said: "Since Brother Yincun likes it, let's leave it with you for the time being, and you can slowly study it and verify it."

"Aren't you afraid that I will steal the painting?" Yi Peiji joked bitterly, "I am now the most despicable cultural relic thief in China."

Zhou Hexuan laughed: "Haha, anyone with eyes can understand this kind of thing. Brother Yincun, please stop laughing at yourself."

"It's a pity that most people in this world don't have eyes, or they close their eyes and don't want to open them." Yi Peiji said with emotion.

Zhou Hexuan asked: "Do you need my help?"

"No, those who are clean will be cleansed themselves," Yi Peiji said, "I have already caused trouble for Mr. Shi Zeng, and I don't want to cause trouble for you anymore."

After Yi Peiji was involved in the "Forbidden City treasure theft case", Li Shizeng also stood up to help speak. As a result, not only was he forced to resign and go abroad, but Li Shizeng himself became a suspect of stealing and selling national treasures.

Yi Peiji serves as the director of the Palace Museum and is Li Shizeng's disciple; Li Zongtong serves as the secretary-general of the Palace Museum and is Li Shizeng's nephew; and Li Zongtong is Yi Peiji's son-in-law. This is equivalent to their family taking control of the Forbidden City, and there are too many jealous people!

Even great scholars like Gu Jiegang said in vain: "Extract the antiquities from the palace and ship them to Paris for sale, so they have a cultural relics shop in Paris." Translated into vernacular: Li Shi once smuggled the cultural relics from the Forbidden City. Go to Paris to sell, and also open a cultural relics shop in Paris.

When Yi Peiji was accused of stealing a national treasure from the Forbidden City, the entire northern education and academic community was adding insult to injury, and some people deliberately dragged Li Shizeng into it.

This can only be blamed on Li Shizeng who offended too many people when he carried out education reform. Zhou Hexuan and others all disliked Li Shizeng's approach. Two words: nonsense!

Moreover, when Li Shizeng did something, he either didn't do it or never did it. When such a person was an official in ancient times, he must have been an activist who played party politics and would do whatever it took to eliminate dissidents, but he still believed that he was absolutely correct and had no selfish motives.

Now that Li Shizeng has been framed, it is really pure retribution. Yi Peiji was largely implicated by Li Shizeng. Many people knew that Yi Peiji was innocent as an official, but they were unwilling to stand up and help speak out. It was already rare enough that they did not take the opportunity to add insult to injury.

Yi Peiji and his son-in-law Li Zongtong had been in charge of the Forbidden City for several years, but only 600 yuan of accounting problems were discovered, making it impossible for Zhang Ji to frame them.

At the end of last year, Zhang Ji manipulated the District Procuratorate to prosecute Yi Peiji and Li Zongtong, saying that they stole 1,319 pearls, 526 gems, and exchanged 9,606 fake pearls for real pearls, and 3,251 fake gems. pellets.

There is actually no evidence for this prosecution, and it is still in the investigation stage. But as soon as the news was reported, Yi Peiji immediately became a shameless treasure thief, who could not escape even if he jumped into the Yellow River.

After discussing "Han Xizai's Night Banquet" for a while, Zhou Hexuan stood up and said, "Brother Yincun, just let me know if you need help. I'll take my leave today."

"Mingcheng, go slowly," Yi Peiji said as he sent Zhou Hexuan out, "I believe the facts will speak for themselves. I didn't do it, I just didn't do it!"

"Haha, it's up to you." Zhou Hexuan smiled and left with fists in his hands.

Yi Peiji seemed to have completely forgotten his grievances. When he returned to his study, he began to study "Han Xizai's Night Banquet". Three days later, he wrote his first related paper, which immediately caused a sensation in the epigraphic and antique circles.

So Zhou Hexuan became depressed. People came to visit him every day, wanting to borrow the famous paintings handed down from generation to generation, so he was forced to take a train overnight to return to Tianjin.

Yi Peiji's identification results made Zhou Hexuan very happy for a while. "Han Xizai's Night Banquet" is one of China's top ten famous paintings handed down from generation to generation. Only one Song Dynasty copy was listed as a national treasure. Now he actually got the original copy.

If in the 21st century, this thing was put up for auction... well, it cannot be valued. The best option is to donate it to the Forbidden City as a treasure.