Flowers and Trees in Splendor, Jade and Stone in Wonder (Part 3)
Section 3: Ancient Porcelain and Famous Jade, Gold Cakes and Diamonds — The King of Jadeite: Changsha Jadeite Bracelet. At Hunan's first Jadeite Culture Festival, jadeite worth 200 million yuan was unveiled, the largest and highest-grade jewelry exhibition in Changsha's history. Among them, a jadeite bracelet worth 8 million yuan can be called the king of Changsha jadeite. This pure green jadeite bracelet, named "Longevity Bracelet"...
This article has been compiled from historical materials in the "Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network" (33519.com · City Overview section). Some administrative divisions, population, socioeconomic data, and policy information may be outdated and are for reference only; for the latest situation, please refer to official releases by the local government and scenic areas.
Section Three
Ancient Porcelain, Famous Jade, Gold Cakes, Diamonds
King of Jadeite — Changsha Jadeite Bracelet
At the first Jadeite Culture Festival in Hunan, the jadeite on stunning display had a total value of 200 million yuan, making it the largest and highest-grade jewelry exhibition in Changsha's history. Among them, a jadeite bracelet worth 8 million yuan can be called the king of jadeite in Changsha. This pure green jadeite bracelet, named Shou Zhuo, still appears delicate, green, and lustrous even under dim light, verdant as if about to drip, too beautiful to take in. It is made of premium old-pit Burmese jadeite, weighs 50.87 grams, and is designed as a "three circles in one," covered entirely in top-grade brilliant green, with a generous and elegant style, symbolizing "complete fulfillment and longevity with health and peace."
The Only "Xin Dynasty" Jade Artifact Discovered in Hunan — Jade Bracelet
In March 2008, Mr. Zhong Hong, a Hunan citizen, bought a jade bracelet for a high price of 36,000 yuan. Tang Chunyan, a member of the China Collectors Association and director of the Hunan Collectors Association, stated that the bracelet is forged from superior Hetian green jade. From the large seal-script inscription on the bracelet ring, "Made on the Guiyou day of the first month of the first year of Jielü Jianguo," it can be inferred that it is an "inaugural jade bracelet" made by Wang Mang's regime to commemorate the establishment of the Xin Dynasty, and generally only members of the imperial family were qualified to wear it. This is a fine piece of Xinjiang Hetian jade. Since the formation of cinnabar (also called large earth-red infiltration) dates back at least a thousand years, judging from the color of the cinnabar permeating this jade bracelet, it can be determined to be a Han jade, which is precisely where the bracelet's preciousness lies. It dates back more than 2,000 years. The carved characters on it are in raised relief, and the writing and cinnabar blend with each other, as if naturally formed.
A Rare Qing Dynasty Wucai Porcelain Deng from Rucheng — Wucai Porcelain Deng
In 1982, a pair of wucai porcelain deng collected from among the people of Rucheng County is a rare Qing Dynasty artwork. Porcelain deng, commonly known as porcelain drum, was used as a stool in ancient times. It is 45.5 centimeters tall, weighs more than 30 jin, and has the same size at the top and bottom ends, with a diameter of 28.8 centimeters. The belly wall bulges, shaped like a drum, with a diameter of 36 centimeters. The body is hollow, with a wall thickness of about 1 centimeter. The decoration covers the entire vessel, with rich and colorful patterns, arranged in symmetrical groups, strict layout, distinct layers, exquisite painting, brilliant colors, and varied forms. The main theme painting on the belly is two symmetrical groups of painted dragons and phoenixes, decorated with geometric patterns, hooked leaf patterns, circle-and-dot patterns, short line patterns, and cross patterns. The decorations interlace, the glaze is evenly applied, and both the top and belly have pierced double circular railings. On the upper and lower circumferences of the belly, 36 nipple bosses are decorated on each. The decorative pigments are relatively thick, appearing raised and three-dimensional. During the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, the technique of wucai decoration on porcelain had already been mastered, but such large wucai vessels with brilliant colors and lively patterns were rare in Qing official kilns. In terms of its craftsmanship, it has reached a very high level and is good material for studying the painting art of Qing Dynasty porcelain.
Hunan's First Unearthed Han Dynasty Ritual Porcelain — Han Dynasty Jade
On December 8, 2005, tomb remains were discovered during construction at Fengpengling in Wangcheng County, Changsha City, Hunan. Excavation began on March 10, 2006. By October 12, archaeologists displayed the unearthed artifacts to the public. In the tomb were two jade bi discs with diameters of 28.3 centimeters and 17.4 centimeters respectively, and one jade gui 18.5 centimeters long, which was an important ritual object in Han Dynasty funeral ceremonies. This was the first time such an object was unearthed in Hunan Province.
Hunan's Best-Preserved Glass Sword Zhi — Glass Sword with Panchi Pattern
In 1960, a glass sword zhi with panchi pattern from the Warring States period (480-222 BC) was unearthed at the Yangjiashan railway construction site in Changsha City. It is an imitation jade sword zhi work. The sword zhi is inlaid on the scabbard for threading straps and wearing, commonly known as "Zhaowen belt." Glass sword zhi are rarely unearthed and are currently mostly seen in the Hunan area. The panchi-pattern glass sword zhi is 10.3 centimeters long, 1.95 centimeters wide, and 1.3 centimeters thick. The entire vessel is white with a yellowish tint and has red infiltration marks. It is rectangular, with both ends slightly curled downward. Near one end on the underside is a rectangular hole for threading a leather belt. On the front is cast a panchi with a slender body, curved like waves. The vessel is intact, and the dragon pattern is vivid. It is the earliest and best-preserved fine piece among discovered glass sword zhi.
Hunan's First Large-Scale Excavation of Metal Currency — Gold Cakes
On December 8, 2005, tomb remains were discovered during construction at Fengpengling in Wangcheng County, Changsha City, Hunan. Excavation began on March 10, 2006. By October 12, archaeologists displayed the unearthed artifacts to the public. In the tomb, 19 gold cakes were unearthed, each with a diameter of 6 centimeters and weighing about half a jin (about 250 grams), with a "V" pattern carved on them. Archaeologists explained that gold cakes were a form of currency and also displayed the wealth of the royal family at the time. This was the first time a large quantity of gold cakes appeared in an ancient tomb excavated in Hunan Province.
A Complete Set of Ancient Swords Discovered in Hunan — Jade-Fitted Sword
In 1955, a complete set of jade-fitted swords from the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-25 AD) was unearthed from M13 at Rongyuan in Changsha City, Hunan Province. The jade ornaments inlaid on the sword hilt and scabbard are called jade sword ornaments. A sword decorated with jade is called a jade-fitted sword. A complete jade-fitted sword consists of 4 jade ornaments: sword pommel, sword guard, sword zhi, and sword bi. Jade sword pommel: diameter 3.8 centimeters, thickness 0.4 centimeters. Panchi-pattern jade sword guard: length 1.5 centimeters, width 5.5 centimeters, thickness 2.5 centimeters. Panchi-pattern jade sword zhi: length 5.7 centimeters, width 3.3 centimeters, thickness 1.1 centimeters. Panchi-pattern jade sword bi: length 5.9 centimeters, width 6 centimeters, height 1.2 centimeters. Decorating swords with jade was already found in the Western Zhou Dynasty. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, when feudal lords contended for hegemony, high officials and nobles decorated their swords with jade to flaunt wealth and strength, display social status, and indicate identity, and thus jade-fitted swords came to
be widely used. Complete sets of jade-fitted swords reached their peak in the Western Han Dynasty, but it is rare for all 4 jade sword ornaments to be unearthed together. Only this one set has been found in Hunan so far, making it extremely precious.
A Masterpiece Among Chinese Green Jade — Openwork Animal-Pattern Jade Inlay
The openwork animal-pattern jade inlay is housed in the Hunan Provincial Museum. It dates to the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC–25 AD) and was unearthed in 1978 from a royal tomb with 'the system of the Son of Heaven' at Xiangbi Mountain in Xie Wan Town, Changsha. It measures 5.5–5.9 cm in diameter and 0.4 cm in edge thickness. Finely carved and rich in subject matter, it is inlaid with turquoise and is an exquisite masterpiece among jade ornaments of its kind. The openwork animal-pattern jade inlay is a flat ornament, possibly a decoration on a funerary lacquerware piece; the lacquerware had long since rotted away with age, leaving only this object. One can imagine how exquisite that lacquerware must have been. The entire object employs the openwork carving technique, with vigorous and forceful carved lines, compensating for the lack of three-dimensionality in patterns rendered by flat carving. This carving technique was unprecedented and continued to be used through the Eastern Han and the Northern and Southern Dynasties. This jade pendant adopts the openwork carving craft, with perfect and harmonious composition, clear primary and secondary elements, and exquisite details. It is a rare artistic treasure among Han jades, fully representing the pinnacle of Western Han jade craftsmanship.
Related Records
Peach Blossom Festival
The people of Taohuayuan have chosen March 28, the date when peach blossoms first bloom each year, to hold the Peach Blossom Festival garden party, which is highly meaningful.
In 1992, the China Hunan Changde Economic, Technical and Trade Fair and Peach Blossom Festival Garden Party (hereinafter referred to as the 'Two Fairs') grandly opened on September 28. From then on, a brand-new page was turned for the Taohuayuan Scenic Area.
This is a retrospective account of the entrance ceremony of the 2001 Peach Blossom Festival garden party. More than a hundred large tour buses carrying over five thousand Chinese and foreign tourists arrived at Taohuayuan. Passing the rippling 'Wuliu Lake' and through the Peach Blossom Mountain archway, people stepped into the beautiful earthly paradise. Along the over 400-meter-long Peach Blossom Stream, the water flowed gently, and peach blossoms bloomed freely across the hillsides, exceptionally pure and elegantly understated. Amid the visual delight, guests recalled Tao Yuanming's 'Record of the Peach Blossom Spring.' Passing the 'Square Bamboo Pavilion' and crossing the 'Meeting Immortals Bridge,' guests climbed the steps, greeted by green mountains on all sides, bathed in spring light, walking with a spring in their step, as if floating like immortals. Through the 'Qin People's Ancient Cave,' they arrived at 'Qin People's Village,' where Qin-style houses stood in rustic simplicity. Along both sides of the over 1,000-meter-long bamboo corridor, the fragrance of pounded tea drifted. People ascended the Shuifu Pavilion and looked down at the Yuan River, with its clear jade-like waves and dotted sail shadows, the curling cooking smoke and the crisscrossing field paths—what a pastoral scene. The 15.8-square-kilometer Taohuayuan has scenery at every step and charms visitors everywhere. Mr. Ando Haruo from Nagoya, Japan, had visited Taohuayuan twice, and this visit left the deepest impression. He said that seeing so many sights and so many peach blossoms at Taohuayuan was a first for him.
Through holding the annual grand Peach Blossom Festival and comprehensive large-scale gathering that integrates culture, economy and trade, sports, and tourism, the fairyland blessed land adorned with peach blossoms will be transformed from a 'Peach Blossom Spring beyond the world' into a 'Peach Blossom Spring for the world.'
In 2009, the annual Changde Peach Blossom Festival was officially upgraded to the 'First China Changde Taohuayuan Tourism Festival.'
Mangshan Azaleas
Mangshan has the best-preserved primeval forest at the same latitude on Earth, a brilliant pearl set in the Nanling Mountains. It is located at the southernmost tip of Chenzhou, Hunan Province, and is the national forest park with the largest area and the best-preserved biological species in southern China. Mangshan is remarkable for its fantastical mountains, beautiful waters, secluded forests, grotesque rocks, and lovely flowers. Within its borders, fantastic peaks rise in layered green, and streams and ravines crisscross. 'Mangshan's magnificent beauty astonishes the world, the number one mountain of primeval ecology' is the most true and vivid portrayal of it! Starting each April, azaleas bloom across the mountains and hillsides, turning Mangshan into a sea of flowers. Mangshan has 43 species of azaleas, representing 4 of the 5 subgenera of the genus Rhododendron in the world. Among them, Hunan azalea, Jian Shang azalea, and Huguang azalea are azalea species unique to Mangshan. Due to differences in altitude, a long flowering period is a major characteristic of Mangshan's azaleas. From low altitude to high altitude, various azaleas bloom in succession, with a flowering period lasting up to 3 months. Especially in the Tiantai Mountain area, the azalea sea stretching for over ten li is a great wonder of southern China and even of China itself, astonishing visitors and making them linger. Mangshan is the area with the most concentrated azalea resources, the most primitive population status, and the largest number of native azalea forests in southern China. On the over 20,000 hectares of land in the Mangshan forest area, azalea tree belts occupy a large proportion.
In spring, Mangshan is the 'kingdom' of azaleas. Unlike elsewhere, the azaleas here are alpine azaleas. Compared with ordinary azaleas, alpine azaleas have thicker branches and larger leaves, with trees reaching up to 3 meters in height; the corolla is umbrella-shaped, 15 to 20 cm in diameter, with some varieties exceeding 25 cm, truly the 'giant' among their kind; they have strong adaptability and are extremely resistant to cold and heat. As they bloom in succession according to altitude, because of the flowering period, there is a saying here: 'In the fourth month, all earthly flowers have faded, yet Mangshan's azaleas are just beginning to bloom.'
The many legends about azaleas here add to the beauty of the flowers.
Legend has it that long ago, a pair of beautiful and stubborn sisters lived in the Mangshan forest. The elder sister was called Du Jie, and the younger sister was called Juan Hua. To escape the landlord's debt collection and forced marriage, the sisters jumped one after another from the cliff of Tiantai Mountain, transforming into a pair of beautiful little birds that cried 'Sisters suffer, sisters suffer...' with voices like weeping and lamenting. After their lips were worn raw from crying, the blood that dripped fell all over Tiantai Mountain. Wherever the blood touched the bushes, bright red flowers immediately bloomed. Thus, Mangshan came to have the 'cuckoo bird' and the 'azalea.'
Local people also told us that in Mangshan there is a General Rock, said to be the incarnation of Li Chuangwang. The azaleas covering the mountains and hillsides are said to be the transformed beloved generals of Li Chuangwang, which is why azaleas are also called 'warrior flowers.' In those years, after suffering defeats in battle, the rebel leader Li Zicheng retreated to Mangshan, and his beloved generals accompanied him through one difficulty after another, later transforming into stone and flowers. Seen from afar, General Rock and the azaleas merge as one, the towering and upright 'body' covered with azaleas.
Azaleas are also an auspicious incarnation for the Yao villages of Mangshan. The 'Mangshan azaleas' covering the mountains and hillsides are the 'flower street' of the Yao compatriots here, and also the 'token of affection' for Yao youth. Every year when the azaleas are in full bloom, near the 'Lovesick Pit' where the flowers bloom most luxuriantly, scenes of romantic 'azalea love' stories are often staged. Amid the dense flowers, Yao young men first present a bouquet of the most brilliant azaleas to the girl they love, then under the azaleas the young man and woman pour out their hearts to each other and pledge their troth.
Changsha's city tree, the camphor, ranks first in number among ancient and famous trees
It's good to enjoy the cool under a big tree. Ancient trees refer to old trees that have grown for over a hundred years. Famous trees refer to trees with social influence and world renown, whose ages also often exceed a hundred years. How fortunate we are that in Changsha, this famous cultural city with over three thousand years of history, we possess a total of 1,267 'green artifacts.'
Among the existing 1,267 ancient and famous trees in the Changsha urban area, there are 24 'old longevity stars' over 500 years old; these are first-class ancient and famous trees. There are 58 second-class ancient and famous trees aged 300 to 499 years. Third-class ancient and famous trees aged 100 to 299 years are much more numerous, totaling 1,185, accounting for 93.14%. The age structure of Changsha's ancient and famous trees is a 'pyramid shape.'
Among Changsha's ancient and famous trees, the most numerous is the camphor. This evergreen tree, introduced to Changsha as early as the Sui and Tang Dynasties, accounts for 37% of the city's current ancient and famous trees, ranking first. Among prefecture-level city urban areas in the province, Changsha has the most ancient camphor resources. Changsha's designation of the camphor as its city tree indeed has a long plant-geographical background. This evergreen tree, easy to grow and long-lived, has majestic branches and a spreading crown, very much in keeping with the spirit of hard struggle and unyielding perseverance in the bones of Changsha people.
More than half of all Changsha's ancient and famous trees are on the west bank of the river. Of the ancient and famous trees on the west bank, Yuelu Mountain accounts for half. According to statistics from the Changsha Institute of Landscape Architecture, Yuelu Mountain currently has 22 species and 305 ancient trees, accounting for 30.56% and 24.07% of the city's ancient and famous tree species and numbers respectively. This is closely related to Yuelu Mountain's low hills and terrain suitable for forest growth.
Among Yuelu Mountain's ancient and famous trees, the youngest is 100 years old and the oldest is 1,500 years. Among them, the most numerous is the sweetgum, with 221 trees, the oldest being 310 years old. Yuelu Mountain's ancient sweetgums are distributed in communities, making it the largest and most numerous ancient sweetgum community in China today.
Among the city's five districts, the one with the most ancient and famous tree resources is Yuelu District, with 765 trees. Next is Furong District, with 184 trees. Kaifu District has 126 trees, Tianxin District has 69 trees, and the fewest is Yuhua District, with only 61 trees.
Changsha's largest ancient tree group
At the foot of the mountain in Chengu Group, Niwu Village, Daweishan Town, Liuyang, grows a patch of ancient forest with a rather primeval appearance. In the mountain ravines and crevices between scattered rocks, towering ancient trees stand one next to another, lush and magnificent. According to a forestry department survey, over 70 trees are century-old ancient trees, concentrated within two square kilometers.
In June 2009, after this ancient tree group—unparalleled in Liuyang and even in all of Changsha—was discovered, the forest protection department immediately carried out protection work, not only establishing electronic archives for each ancient tree but also uniformly implementing plaque protection for them, with eye-catching protection slogan signs erected around some of the trees.
A small stream rushes straight down from the ravine, forming natural waterfalls at three or four places with large drops. Among them, over 50 century-old trees reside on the 0.5 square kilometers of land on both sides of this small stream, with another dozen or so at the entrance of Niwu Village. Local villager Wu Xinmin told reporters that the ancient tree species include maple, camphor, gouli (sawtooth oak), pine, sandalwood, and more than ten other types. The largest gouli tree has a girth of over 4 meters and is said to be over 200 years old.
Ancient trees, flowing water, a small bridge, and homes. This charming ancient forest has gradually attracted many visitors. The villagers of this group have spontaneously built over 1,000 meters of walking paths in the ancient forest, allowing people to get close to the ancient trees. Not far above the ancient tree group, villagers have developed a large orchard, planting peaches, plums, pears, chestnuts, and more. Six households have also opened farmhouse restaurants.
Ningxiang Chinese Quillwort
Chinese quillwort, also known as Hua quillwort, is a perennial marsh herbaceous plant. The plant is 15 to 30 cm tall, with tuberous roots and linear leaves growing in clumps. It is suited to a mild and humid subtropical climate with abundant rain in spring and summer and clear, relatively cold winters, and mostly grows on the edges of shallow ponds with soil rich in organic matter, in mountain gully silt, and in marshes. Over the years, due to extensive land reclamation and other construction, the growth environment of Chinese quillwort has been severely damaged, and it is on the verge of extinction.
The community of Chinese quillwort—a 'living plant fossil' that has hidden on Earth for hundreds of millions of years and a national first-class key protected plant—was discovered on August 3, 2009, by Hunan University of Science and Technology student Ou Zhiguo in Yujia'ao Township, Ningxiang County.
Ou Zhiguo, who lives in Huangjintang Group, Shenwu Village, Yujia'ao Township, Ningxiang County, is a sophomore majoring in biotechnology at the School of Life Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology. He has always loved 'seeking flowers and grasses,' and whenever he has free time he goes to farm fields, ponds, and mountains to search for various plants.
In the summer vacation of 2008, Ou Zhiguo discovered several plants of peculiar morphology in a pond about 200 meters from his home. 'This plant has fern characteristics, but the tender green leaves look like chives.' Ou Zhiguo found that the base of this peculiar 'chive' leaf was concave like a spoon, with sporangia inside. Out of professional sensitivity, he judged that this 'chive' was extraordinary.
In April 2009, Ou Zhiguo collected seven or eight specimens and brought them back to school. After comparing them with images in professional reference materials, he preliminarily determined that this was the endangered national first-class key protected plant—Chinese quillwort.
In June 2009, Hunan suffered a drought. Worried that the mysterious 'chives' he had discovered might meet with mishap, Ou Zhiguo posted online, calling on relevant departments to take measures to protect this plant, and left his contact information.
Before long, the post was seen by Zhou Yadong, a graduate student at the School of Life Sciences, Wuhan University. At the end of June, Zhou Yadong rushed to Ningxiang to collect some specimens and brought them back to the school for identification. Subsequently, Dr. Liu Xing and Zhou Yadong of Wuhan University's School of Life Sciences extracted DNA from the samples and conducted molecular identification.
After analysis and identification, it was confirmed that the plant discovered by Ou Zhiguo was the national first-class key protected plant—Chinese quillwort.
At the end of June 2009, the Chinese quillwort in the pond covered a growth area of over 400 square meters, with very high density, estimated at tens of thousands of plants. However, due to drought and reduced pond water storage, less than 100 square meters remained.
Chinese quillwort has a survival history of hundreds of millions of years and is the most primitive fern-ally plant. It has important value for studying the systematic evolution of ferns and the East Asian flora, and is now on the verge of extinction.
This was the third discovery of a Chinese quillwort community in Hunan Province. In 2005, Chinese quillwort communities were successively discovered in the Wanfoshan Scenic Area of Tongdao Dong Autonomous County and Longkong Village, Guangping Town, Huitong County, Huaihua City.
Jade Burial Suit with Gold Thread
In 2006, jade pieces of a jade burial suit with gold thread were unearthed from Tomb No. 1 at Fengpengling, Wangcheng, Changsha, changing the history of Hunan having no jade burial suit with gold thread. Archaeological researchers were astonished to find some gold-inlaid jade pieces, which were confirmed to be fragments of a jade burial suit with gold thread. The unearthed jade burial suit with gold thread was not only the first discovery in Hunan Province but also the first appearance in the Jiangnan region of China.
The jade burial suit sewn with gold thread symbolized the status of emperors and nobles, and its craftsmanship was extremely strict. The rulers of the Han Dynasty established a special workshop called the "East Garden" dedicated to making jade burial suits. Here, craftsmen processed a large number of jade pieces through more than ten procedures including material selection, drilling, and polishing, and designed the jade pieces into different sizes and shapes according to different parts of the human body, then connected them with gold thread. The cost of each medium-sized jade burial suit was almost equal to the total property of one hundred middle-class families at that time. However, using the jade burial suit sewn with gold thread as a burial garment not only failed to fulfill the wish of princes and nobles to keep their bones intact, but instead brought the misfortune of tomb robbery and body destruction. Many Han imperial tombs were repeatedly robbed for this reason. By the Three Kingdoms period, Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi, ordered a ban on the use of jade burial suits, and from then on jade burial suits disappeared from Chinese history.
A thousand golden mummies wearing gold-thread jade suits appeared in Egypt—they were simply coated with a layer of gold on their bodies, with no jade component, so they cannot be called true "jade burial suits sewn with gold thread." Jade carving technique is unique to China, and the Han Dynasty was also a period when jade carving decoration flourished. Judging from the fragments of the gold-thread jade burial suit unearthed in Changsha, it was not merely ground into jade pieces; the pieces also bore carved patterns.
There is no historical record of exactly who designed the gold-thread jade burial suit. In 1968, two complete sets of ancient imperial and noble burial garments—"gold-thread jade burial suits"—were excavated from the tomb of Liu Sheng and Dou Wan, a couple of the Western Han Dynasty, dating back more than 2,000 years. According to investigation, these two sets of "gold-thread jade burial suits" are the earliest and most complete of those archaeologically unearthed in China.
By 2009, a total of eighteen Western Han tombs with jade burial suits had been unearthed in China, but only eight were tombs with gold-thread jade burial suits. The most representative is the gold-thread jade burial suit of Liu Sheng, Prince Jing of Zhongshan, unearthed from Tomb No. 1 at Mancheng, Hebei. It used more than one thousand grams of gold thread to connect 2,498 jade pieces of varying sizes, and took more than a hundred craftsmen over two years to complete. The entire jade suit is exquisitely designed and meticulously crafted, a rare artistic treasure of the ages.
Since the founding of New China, more than ten jade burial suits have been found in Han tombs. Five have been completely restored: the two of Liu Sheng, Prince Jing of Zhongshan of the Western Han, and his wife Dou Wan; one of Liu Xing, Prince Xiao of Zhongshan of the Western Han in Dingxian; one of Liu Gong, Prince Jing of Pengcheng of the Eastern Han in Xuzhou, Jiangsu; and one of a certain Cao, a clansman of Cao Cao from the late Eastern Han, in Boxian, Anhui. Taking the two from the Mancheng Han tombs as examples, Liu Sheng's jade suit used 2,498 jade pieces and 1,100 grams of gold thread, while Dou Wan's jade suit used 2,160 jade pieces and 700 grams of gold thread. The manpower and material resources consumed in their production were astonishing.
Hunan Villager Used Porcelain for Storing Eggs as a Century-Old Antique, Wanted to Keep It as a Family Heirloom
Mr. Peng Dunjin, who lives in Liuyang, never expected that the old porcelain jar his family had originally used to store eggs and white sugar was actually an antique from the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty. Peng Dunjin has more than a dozen pieces of porcelain at home. He said that when he was very young, he already had an impression of these porcelains placed at home. "At first, no one in the family knew the value of these porcelains, and treated them as ordinary pots and jars for storing eggs, white sugar, red dates, and other things," Peng Dunjin said. "It was not until a few years ago, when a person who came to the village to buy antiques took a look and said these were treasures, that I put them all away." After learning that these porcelain jars might be antiques, Peng Dunjin would take them out to wipe and look at them almost every so often.
Huang Nianzeng, chief appraisal expert of the Cultural Relics Appraisal Center of the Provincial Collectors Association, appraised two of his porcelains free of charge. According to Huang Nianzeng's appraisal, both items Peng Dunjin brought were porcelain from the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty, with a history of more than 100 years. The bodies of the porcelains are painted with a famille rose wealth-and-honor design, each featuring a phoenix; placed together, the two phoenixes face each other exactly. The phoenixes and peonies on them are lifelike and vivid, showing the high level of skill of the makers more than 100 years ago. The watermelon jar painted with the famille rose wealth-and-honor design has an auspicious and festive pattern, generally part of a woman's dowry in ancient times, containing red dates, longan, and other items, symbolizing many sons and abundant blessings.
Huang Nianzeng said: "In China, although there are relatively many such watermelon jars painted with the famille rose wealth-and-honor design that have survived to the present, complete pairs are relatively few, and either the lids are lost or they have been chipped or damaged. Ones like these that are both a pair and free of defects are relatively rare." With the expert appraisal result, Mr. Peng felt assured about these porcelains at home. He said: "For the time being, I have no intention of selling these porcelains. I want to treat them as family heirlooms and pass them down forever."
Hunan's Largest Antique City
This antique city is located at the Hunan Provincial Cultural Relics General Store, with a total area of 3,000 square meters and 50 shops. It is positioned along a high-end boutique business route, mainly dealing in antique porcelain, jade ware, miscellaneous items, and calligraphy and painting, with elegant style and a beautiful environment. Guo Xueren, chairman of Hunan Antique City, introduced that Hunan Antique City strives, through its high-end positioning, to build a first-class antique trading center in Hunan and even south-central China with high taste, new style, excellent service, and good performance. Among the merchants currently signed to move in are businesses with good reputations and considerable influence in the industry, such as Jingyu Tang, Chongwen Tang, Shengtang Xuan, and Yugu Lou. The opening of Hunan Antique City not only provides a platform for trading, exchange, and discussion for the broad community of collectors, but also fills a gap in our province's high-end cultural relics market.
On the occasion of the completion of Hunan Antique City, the Hunan Provincial Cultural Relics General Store held an antique calligraphy and painting exhibition-sale auction. A total of more than 300 items were offered, including 55 pieces of jade ware, 105 pieces of porcelain, and 88 pieces of calligraphy and painting, with a transaction rate of 58%.