Antique Identification Eighteen Methods

Author: Saint Dongwu Cizhi
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-06-01
Features: Mr. Wu Cizhi, the author, is a renowned connoisseur with unique expertise in identification. This book is the crystallization of their years of experience in collecting and appraising antiques. It employs an accessible yet profound writing style to systematically and practically introduce various techniques in antique appraisal.
The saying goes, "A newly rich person grows tall grass, but an old connoisseur has a fine robe." Undoubtedly, the "old connoisseur" has old treasures. If they present a Ming dynasty brocade robe, it is undeniable that it is a national treasure. The saying also goes, "In times of chaos, gold is valuable; in prosperous times, collecting is cherished." In the early 1960s, during the arduous years of the "Three Years of Famine," people valued life over treasures. My family's precious calligraphy and paintings, as well as antique porcelain, were stored away, treated as useless items. Later, they were destroyed during the "Cultural Revolution"—burned and confiscated. After the old culture was sent to the West, there was a sense of relief. It is also said, "Without breaking, there can be no building." The "breaking" refers to the objects, while the "building" refers to ambition. "A loss can be a gain." Without the pain of loss, one might not appreciate the joy of recovery and the pleasure of collecting!
The saying also states that collecting is not unreachable or unattainable. It is both highbrow and accessible. As long as a home has cabinets, chests, or boxes, there will be collecting and collecting behavior—whether conscious or unconscious, everyday items or artworks. Whether in cities or rural areas, in poor streets or quiet lanes, where there are collectors and collectibles, there is attraction and elegance, where walls shine and esteemed guests arrive. This is the joy and allure of collecting. The depth and continuity of Chinese culture, spanning 7,000 years of civilization, are upheld by the single character "collecting." Millions of hearts nurture and protect the essence of culture and the brilliance of history day and night. The joy of collecting is like spring rain nourishing the soul, bringing blessings and fulfilling desires. It moistens and rewards those who carry forward the legacy of "tangible history," their hard work, love, and dedication.
Collecting is a ladder, a spirit, a culture, and a realm. It guides collectors from ignorance to knowledge, from the low to the high, from narrow-mindedness to breadth, ultimately achieving a state of enlightenment and transcendence!
The saying reflects on how, in the 1970s, I impulsively collected ordinary empty wine bottles—truly, the joy was not in the wine but in the collecting. When I finally acquired a full set of empty bottles of the eight famous wines, especially the one I longed for—the Moutai bottle—I danced with delight. As my collecting level rose to include ancient books, calligraphy, and porcelain, I realized that my past struggles and poverty, as well as the destruction of the "Cultural Revolution," were foolish and unbearable to recall. Ironically, I, who once viewed piles of old paper as backward and decadent, had finally become a "hero" worthy of recognition, appreciating and valuing rare items.
Three years ago, I had the opportunity to meet a leader from a middle school, moved by their selfless and dedicated spirit, and donated three Qing dynasty imperial examination papers and a stack of Qing dynasty maps to the school. In truth, nothing truly belongs to one person; it is merely something once possessed. Therefore, there is no need to be overly meticulous. Especially when it comes to trivial matters, minor errors, or even getting upset over idle talk. Those who have not experienced the joy of collecting cannot understand.
A friend of mine, known as the "Magnanimous Gentleman," never participated in salary or rank discussions, which often ended in heated arguments. Later, I learned that he was a collector, detached from worldly concerns.
The saying In the late 1980s, I focused on collecting and studying classical furniture. Interestingly, some chairs and tables transformed from plain wood to redwood, then to precious zitan, and common huageli wood to precious huanghuageli wood. I even turned a friend's "fake painting" into a "real painting," an "imported porcelain" into Chinese porcelain, a "horn cup" into a rhino horn cup, and "green glass" into an emerald gem. All of this was due to increased understanding, not a change in material or forced subjectivity. The value of a collectible is proportional to its rarity, age, craftsmanship, and material, as well as the level of societal development. Van Gogh and Picasso's paintings are worth millions, yet the Chinese Van Gogh, Sha Qi, was barely valued at 100 yuan per piece at the time! Similarly, a Chinese piece sold for millions abroad but was worth only tens of thousands domestically—this is the lag in cognition and the numbness of love. As the saying goes, "After staying long in a room filled with incense, one no longer smells its fragrance!"
The saying "When night is deep, I fear the flowers may fall asleep, so I light a candle to illuminate their beauty." Through long-term care and handling of collectibles, one gains profound understanding and joy. By chance, I discovered that furniture also has male and female distinctions, leading to an essay titled "Feminine Furniture." After 10 years of close interaction with traditional furniture, I uncovered the unique insignia of Ningbo-style furniture and published "Interpretation of Ji Zi and Bed Patterns in Ningbo Furniture." Traditional Chinese furniture has three major schools. However, my book "Ningbo Furniture" is set to change people's perceptions.
The saying "It is not that one does not recognize goods, but that goods must be compared." The scholar named the "Lvyewa Song Chair," but I believe it should be correctly named the "Lvyewa Song Dynasty Stone Bench." Benches are not for daily use but for imperial courts. Later, I found evidence in old documents (detailed in a separate article). The joy of this discovery surpasses the joy of collecting empty wine bottles in the past!
Last year, my book "Eighteen Methods of Antique Appraisal" was published nationwide, bringing great benefits and joy to collectors. The poem in my studio, "Writing Books for a Thousand Measures of Rice, But Love the Goldfish Beside the Old Pine," reflects this: "A lone hand may also resound, truth lies within; lock the flying dragon in a jade casket." "Spring sows, summer reaps; acting with spring winds, there will be summer rains."
I believe collectors are the greatest spiritual and material wealth in the world. The joy of collecting is the greatest achievement and the greatest joy in life!