บท 60: Teaching
"There's no need to thank me; if you must express gratitude, direct it toward the teacher instead..."
Observing Fang Yi's calm demeanor, Zhao Hongtao couldn't help but silently commend the teacher for his discernment. Fang Yi possessed a profound foundation in history; with just a bit of guidance, he would undoubtedly excel in both museum studies and artifact appraisal.
"Alright, today we will commence our first lesson by discussing the fundamentals of cultural artifacts..." After engaging in a discussion about the tea classics for over half an hour, Zhao Hongtao finally redirected the conversation back to the topic of cultural artifacts.
"You two are quite commendable; after our discussion yesterday, you've already begun to handle your beads, haven't you?"
Gazing at the string of Vajra beads and the string of star and moon Bodhi hanging around Fang Yi and Fatty's necks, Zhao Hongtao nodded approvingly and said, "This is the right approach. To truly grasp the knowledge of cultural artifacts, you must first experience the authentic transformation that these items undergo in your hands; only then will your understanding deepen..."
In Zhao Hongtao's view, artifacts remained unchanged regardless of how long they were left untouched, but cultural items differed. Through human interaction and the passage of time, even an ordinary bead could radiate a captivating luster. This was one of the reasons Zhao Hongtao cherished cultural items.
"Jinhua, come now; after a day of playing with beads, share your insights..." Given Zhao Hongtao's status, it was inappropriate for him to refer to Fang Yi by his nickname, so after confirming Wei Jinhua's name, he opted to use the latter part to address Fatty.
"Brother Zhao, please... just call me Fatty..."
However, Fatty was not pleased with Zhao Hongtao's address. In his memory, Jinhua had always been synonymous with Jin Hua, and hearing the name Fatty felt far more comfortable than the two syllables of Jinhua.
"Brother Zhao, he was called Jinhua in his childhood, so it left a shadow in his heart..." Noticing Zhao Hongtao's bewildered expression, Fang Yi stifled a laugh and offered an explanation.
"Very well, then I'll call you Little Fatty..." After hearing Fang Yi's explanation, Zhao Hongtao couldn't help but chuckle. Indeed, it must be quite awkward for a grown man to be referred to as Jinhua.
"Little Fatty, take out your string of star and moon beads; I'll explain how to assess their quality, origin, and how to handle them..."
Zhao Hongtao gestured toward Fatty's neck. He had noticed that whenever he spoke of theoretical knowledge, Fatty wore a bewildered expression, so he decided to employ a hands-on teaching method, believing it would facilitate deeper understanding.
"Brother Zhao, didn't you mention yesterday how to handle them?"
Fatty removed the string of star and moon beads from around his neck, a proud expression on his face. "You said to rub the star and moon beads against the Vajra. I didn't have a brush, so I ended up rubbing this thing until midnight last night. Brother Zhao, can you check if it has developed a patina?"
"Patina?!" Zhao Hongtao was taken aback by Fatty's words, shaking his head as he replied, "Little Fatty, do you even know what patina means?"
"Of course! It just means making the beads shiny, right?" Fatty responded confidently.
"Shiny does not equate to patina! If you wash it with water, apply wax, or rub it with shoe polish, it will also shine..."
Zhao Hongtao said, both amused and exasperated. "Moreover, the patina of cultural items differs from that of artifacts. The patina on artifacts refers to the oxidized layer formed on the surface due to prolonged exposure to the elements; the older the item, the thicker the patina. Even if left untouched, it will still exhibit a rich, lustrous sheen... However, cultural items require handling and polishing by hand. Through countless interactions, the surface is smoothed, resulting in a brilliant shine, further enhanced by the natural oils and sweat from one's hands over time, creating a unique patina. Additionally, due to variations in materials, the patina and color changes produced by dry or sweaty hands will differ. Little Fatty, do you know what color this string of star and moon Bodhi will eventually turn?"
"I don't have any pigments; no matter how I play with it, won't it still be white?" Fatty looked at the star and moon beads in Zhao Hongtao's hand and suddenly exclaimed, "Wait, Brother Zhao, this thing will turn yellow; in fact, it's already starting to yellow a bit..."
"You're mistaken; yellow is merely one phase of the color change process..."
Zhao Hongtao shook his head and explained, "This string of beads is quite good. The moonlight is clear, the stars are sparse, the star eyes are small, the density is high, and the seeds are dry—this is genuine Hainan star and moon. Such beads will ultimately transform into a deep red color, similar to that of my tea table..."
Zhao Hongtao pointed to his tea table for comparison and continued, "Vietnam, Guangxi, and even Laos also produce star and moon beads, but their quality is inferior. The distribution of stars is uneven, and they are significantly lighter than Hainan star and moon beads. Additionally, they contain more impurities, making them prone to breakage over time. I personally recommend you stick to Hainan star and moon beads; however, they are quite scarce, and around ninety percent of the star and moon beads on the market are inferior imitations. The star and moon beads you displayed yesterday were all from Vietnam..."
As Zhao Hongtao discussed the current state of materials for cultural items, he felt a sense of helplessness. It wasn't just the star and moon beads; materials such as Vajra Bodhi, small-leaf red sandalwood, agarwood, and even the more precious Hainan huanghuali had cheaper substitutes. Ordinary enthusiasts often lacked the expertise to discern these differences, leading to many being deceived when they first entered the field.
"Achieving a patina on cultural items isn't particularly difficult. Take the star and moon Bodhi, for instance; before playing with it, it's best to rub it with one of those exfoliating towels from the bathhouse for a few days. This will quickly help it develop a sheen..."
"Wait, Brother Zhao, what does 'develop a sheen' mean?" Fatty interrupted Zhao Hongtao.
"Developing a sheen refers to polishing; it's about cleaning the surface of the star and moon beads of any grime and preparing it for handling..."
Knowing that Fang Yi and Fatty lacked a foundational understanding of cultural items, Zhao Hongtao was not in a hurry and continued, "Polishing will make the star and moon beads appear very bright, but it's a deceptive shine that will fade quickly. You must use clean hands to rub and play with them daily... After about a month, you will notice a slight resistance when rolling the beads; at that point, let them rest for three to five days to allow for a natural patina process. After three to five days, take them out again to handle... If you repeat this process for a year, you will visibly observe the changes in the beads. By then, without my explanation, you'll be able to discern what a true patina is. However, a year is merely a starting point; to reach the ultimate state of a string of beads, it will take at least ten years..."
Zhao Hongtao had been engaging with cultural items for over a decade and was undoubtedly a seasoned figure in the domestic cultural item community. He had successfully developed a patina on four or five strings of star and moon Bodhi, which were now sealed away in his collection at home.
"So it takes such a long time? If this string of star and moon beads is played with for that long, how much could it sell for?"
After listening to Zhao Hongtao's explanation, Fatty felt a twinge of disappointment. He lacked the patience to dedicate so many years to a single item, yet he wasn't entirely ready to give up. If the item could indeed become valuable with time, he might just muster the resolve to persist.
"You rascal, after playing with something for so many years, one inevitably develops an attachment. Who would be willing to sell it?"
Upon hearing Fatty's words, Zhao Hongtao was instantly incensed. Cultural items encapsulate the passage of time, embody culture, and provide tranquility to the heart, allowing for focused contemplation and a serene spirit. With all these benefits, how could Fatty reduce it to mere monetary value?
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