Elegant Antiques

Author: Fan Wen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: This is not an easy-to-understand book on antique and cultural relic appreciation. It is presented in classical Chinese and covers topics such as painting, book collecting, stone appreciation, and seal collections. It is recommended for those who do not fear classical Chinese. How many people in today's world can live with genuine character like Zhang Dai and leave behind such valuable spiritual heritage for later generations? We should learn from Zhang Dai. The content here is Zhang Dai's whimsical works on antiques. In A Dream of the Red Chamber, Zhang Dai writes about the [Pi'en Pagoda], describing it as majestic and powerful. Two parallel sentences explain the era of [great antiques] and praise the stunning craftsmanship of [great kiln wares]. The conclusion is proud, as if looking down upon the world, and in Zhang Dai's eyes, the pagodas built during the Yongle era are already [great antiques]. Besides admiring his insight in classifying the pagodas as antiques, we also discover that the term [antique] back then carried the meaning of describing items as exquisitely refined and marvelous.