"Born in a Past Life, Destiny Forged the Connection with the Forbidden City - Forbidden City Literary Collection"

Author: Zhuang Yang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-01
Features: The appraisal of antiques is often misunderstood by the general public. They tend to think that the imperial collection in the Forbidden City must be entirely genuine and of superior quality, as if it were different from ordinary households. In reality, this is far from the truth. Like private collectors, the imperial collection contains a mix of genuine and fake, good and bad, with everything in between. What could be the reason? The story is long, but let me briefly touch on it.
First, the sources of imperial antique collections can be summarized into four categories: inheritance from previous dynasties, contributions from officials, confiscation through imperial decrees, and purchases with imperial funds. Among these four, the first two account for the most, followed by the third, while the fourth is the least. The inheritance from previous dynasties refers to the Ming Dynasty, though some may date back even further to the Song or Yuan periods. These items have been preserved over time, mostly with documented provenance, but not all are entirely reliable.
As for contributions from officials, one might assume they are all top-tier pieces, but this is not always the case. Confiscated items, on the other hand, are limited to what was seized from the confiscated households, regardless of quality. While genuine and exquisite pieces are included, fakes are also inevitable. I have discussed this issue in detail in the second section of the previous chapter, which readers can refer to. Here, I will not elaborate further.
Moreover, the authenticity of antiques has never had an absolute standard in history. A renowned piece may be declared genuine by one authority but fake by another. Today, one expert may validate an item, only to be refuted by another tomorrow. This is not unusual. Some opinions are based on academic rigor, well-supported, and logically sound, serving no other purpose. Others, however, are driven by personal disputes, deliberately opposing views, or commercial interests, distorting facts to present fakes as genuine or misrepresenting reality.
The above discussion pertains only to the authenticity of artifacts. Determining their era and nomenclature is even more complex and convoluted. Therefore, the institution must conduct thorough appraisals for any artifact with doubts, for reasons mentioned earlier. The body responsible for this work is called the "Special Committee," composed of renowned experts from within and outside the institution, organized as a purely academic entity, distinct from other organizations. The purpose of reviewing artifacts is threefold: to correct names, to date them, and to distinguish between genuine and fake.
The term "correct names" refers to the initial "inventory" process, which has been previously mentioned. The inventory method also involves the participation of external experts to "ensure credibility and avoid suspicion." The individuals invited to participate in the inventory are appointed by various government departments, many of whom are well-versed in antique studies, while others are entirely unfamiliar with the subject. As a result, the same artifact may be given different names, assigned different eras, and its authenticity and quality remain uncertain.
For example, in bronze artifacts, ding (tripod) and li (double-handled pot) are often confused, sometimes even mistaken for incense burners or spittoons. Their era may be labeled as Shang or Zhou. Regarding ceramics, the distinction between Northern Song and Southern Song imperial kilns is often debated, as is the case with Jun ware, which was produced from the Northern Song to the Yuan Dynasty. Taking paintings as another example, the palace has a famous painting titled "Palace Music," cataloged as No. 19612 under the "Tiao" classification. In the Qing Dynasty's "Shiqu Baoji," it was listed as a Yuan Dynasty work. Later, during appraisal, it was determined to be at least from the Five Dynasties period due to its coloring and painting style, which closely resemble those of Zhou Wenju.
Furthermore, the authenticity of an artifact is separate from its value. A genuine piece may not necessarily be good, and a fake may not necessarily be bad. These two aspects should not be equated. Such examples are abundant and too numerous to list.
In the past, appraisals were conducted in mainland China, first in Beijing and then in Shanghai. After relocating to Taiwan, another appraisal was held, but it was limited to calligraphy and painting.
Additionally, the account of the Empress Zhenfei in the previous chapter was brief and contained inaccuracies. I apologize to the readers and Ms. Tang Yansjun for these errors and have revised the details as follows:
Zhenfei's Family Background and Brief Account
Zhenfei, of the Heta family, also known as the Tatan family, belonged to the Manchu Red Banner. Her grandfather was Yutai, who served as the Governor of Hubei and Hunan during the Daoguang and Xianfeng reigns and was posthumously honored as "Zhuangyi." Yutai had three sons: the eldest, Changshan, was appointed as the Military Governor of Guangzhou; the second, Changjing, became the Prefect of Suiding in Sichuan; and the youngest, Changxiu, rose to the rank of Vice Minister. Zhenfei and her sister, Jinfei, were both daughters of Changxiu and were of illegitimate birth but not of the same mother. Jinfei was born in the thirteenth year of the Tongzhi era (1864), while Zhenfei was born in the second year of the Guangxu era (1876). During their childhood, they lived with their uncle, Changshan, the Military Governor of Guangzhou, where Wen Tingshi served in Changshan's entourage. Both Zhenfei and Jinfei were disciples of Wen Tingshi, a renowned scholar and poet during the Tongzhi and Guangxu eras. Wen Tingshi was skilled in poetry and calligraphy, and as a result, Zhenfei also became an accomplished calligrapher. Later, she served in the imperial court as a scribe for Empress Dowager Cixi. Among her siblings, such as Zhirui, Zhijun, and Zhiqi, many were prominent figures of their time.
In the thirteenth year of the Guangxu era, Empress Dowager Cixi selected a consort for Emperor Guangxu. She ordered the ministers to submit names for consideration. Zhirui then presented his sisters, Zhenfei and Jinfei, for the selection.
The Selection Process
In the winter of the thirteenth year of the Guangxu era, Empress Dowager Cixi held the selection ceremony for the emperor's consort in the Tihe Hall. Five candidates participated, the first being Jingfen, the daughter of Guixiang, the Chief of the Imperial Guard, who was also Empress Dowager Cixi's niece and a favored candidate for the throne. The second was the two daughters of Dejing, the Governor of Jiangxi—Luan and Feng. The third were the two daughters of Changxiu, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites—Jinfei and Zhenfei. The Empress Dowager sat on the throne, while Emperor Guangxu stood beside her. A small table was placed in front, adorned with a jade-handled ruyi and a pair of red-embroidered lotus-shaped pouches. According to the old customs of the Qing court, the ruyi was awarded to the chosen consort.
The Empress Dowager pointed to the candidates and said to Emperor Guangxu, "Your Majesty, choose who you think is worthy. Give the ruyi to the one you select." After speaking, she handed the ruyi to Emperor Guangxu. He replied, "This is a matter of great importance and should be decided by the Empress Dowager. As a subject, I cannot make such decisions." The Empress Dowager, however, insisted that he choose himself. Emperor Guangxu then held the ruyi and was about to present it to Dejing's daughter, but the Empress Dowager suddenly shouted, "Your Majesty." She then signaled with her mouth to indicate the first candidate. Emperor Guangxu, understanding her intention, reluctantly gave the ruyi to the Empress Dowager's niece. Seeing that Emperor Guangxu was still favoring the daughter of Dejing, the Empress Dowager ordered the princess to give the pouches to the last two candidates—Jinfei and Zhenfei.
The above excerpt is from my friend Zhang Muhan's "Xuekan Xueshi." In the previous chapter, I quoted a poem by Zeng Bozheng, originally consisting of twelve verses, but only one was included. I now add four more verses to convey the depth of his emotion. Zeng Bozheng was the grandson of Zeng Guofan, a prominent poet in the late Qing Dynasty, known for his style similar to that of Li Yu.
The Poem
One night, Empress Zhen fell into the Qin seal,
A thousand years later, the Han spring gushed forth.
The phoenix tail and sandalwood lute accompanied jade,
The dragon hair and gold hairpin perished with gold.
The literary swan left tears red,
The light swallow in the immortal realm turned purple smoke.
In October, the imperial city flew fallen leaves,
Where else could one hear the mournful cicadas?
The crimson pavilion intertwined with emerald waves,
The imperial offspring's sincerity transformed into birds.
The double jade called back the soul of the virtuous,
The platform held the ceremonial staff of the true concubine.
Every year, the Qingming and Cold Food festivals are remembered,
The city and its people are filled with countless grievances.
The Xiang flute played sorrowful tunes for the separated swan,
The cold fish and migratory geese flew in alarm.
The Vermilion Bird Street in the White Horse Village,
The White Dragon in fish attire escaped the border wall.
Outside the Oystershell Pavilion, the scenery was tragic,
In the Fish Palace, the years passed long.
The pavilion in the water was pitifully twisted with pearls,
The silk gauze earned jade's sorrowful coolness.
May the king not ask of past lives,
The inn was filled with pear blossoms and Buddha halls.
The Queen Mother passed the lotus flag, embracing the cassia,
The entire court was ordered to thank but refused delay.
The Han dynasty's laws were beyond questioning,
The enemy's civilization was unknown to the Buddha.
Few in the ten residences wore white peonies,
All in the six palaces rode green horses on the same day.
On the Jade Beetle Lake, the sky-stretching grass stuck to the water,
Only the waves killed the lotus in the pond.
P98-100