It's a crucial moment and the monthly votes aren't climbing, my heart is anxious.

If anyone has monthly votes, please cast a few more; I'm asking for your support.

To the layperson, wood carving must seem utterly simple.

Isn't it just taking tools to shave, poke, whittle, and drill the wood until it takes the shape of figures, birds, insects, or fish? A little casual practice should suffice; it surely can't be that hard.

In reality, this is merely wishful thinking—the adage, "Easier said than done," speaks precisely to this.

The art of wood carving is, in fact, the process of transforming a flat drawing into a three-dimensional form, cut by painstaking cut into the timber.

This demands not only superior skill in painting and calligraphy but also exquisite carving technique, making it significantly more difficult than painting or drawing.

A single wood carving piece requires a substantial amount of time to complete.

Since it is carved from a single block of wood, if one spot is marred, repair is nearly impossible; the entire work is ruined, and all prior effort is lost.

As they say, "slow work yields fine results." If the carving area increases or the subject matter becomes more intricate, the difficulty and time required for creation escalate dramatically.

Coupled with the inherent limitations of the wood block size, the artistic skill and production cost for a large-scale wood carving are exceedingly high.

Furthermore, most ancient wood carving masters inherited their craft, requiring practice from childhood to accumulate decades of experience necessary to produce a masterpiece.

Because carving was so arduous, only those of substantial means could afford to commission a master carver.

Thus, in a certain sense, an exquisite wood carving in ancient times was also a symbol of status, prestige, and wealth.

The piece before them was precisely such an object: considerable in size, and moreover, carved from a tree root.

As everyone knows, the toughness and density inherent in a tree root make it far more challenging to carve than ordinary branches or trunks.

To render a root beautifully and finely requires a proportionally greater investment of heart and energy.

It was immediately apparent that this wood carving belonged firmly in the realm of masterpieces.

The carving technique was extraordinarily proficient, especially in the rendering of the figures' clothing textures and the features of their faces.

The detail was nothing short of microscopic.

He Zhizhang, eyes hazy, appearing ready to collapse after drinking too much; Prince Ruyang, sound asleep yet still clutching his wine jar; Su Jin, holding a wine cup while chatting with others, a Buddhist scripture scroll resting before him; Li Bai, seemingly having drunk his fill, now holding a brush, ready to inscribe immortal verse...

Eight individuals, each displaying eight distinct states, yet though seemingly independent, they interacted, forming a cohesive whole.

It depicted a scene of close friends gathered, drinking heartily, laughing, and chatting animatedly.

The physical forms of men can be carved.

But capturing the spirit and expression in those forms—that is what truly tests one's mastery.

As Wang Guan scrutinized each figure, he immediately felt that the expression of every individual, viewed from any angle, was astonishingly lifelike.

And when viewed in relation to one another, they exuded perfect harmony. "Absolutely the work of a master craftsman." After careful observation, Wang Guan murmured his praise, yet a flicker of doubt crossed his mind. "However, this doesn't look like Chaozhou wood carving, does it?" It wasn't surprising that Wang Guan suspected this.

While the carving was exquisite, it possessed an ancient, weathered patina, likely the result of enduring many long years.

Judging from the residual pigment clinging to the carved figures, this piece must have originally been a polychrome wood carving, with the colors only becoming mottled and flaking over time, eventually fading naturally to imbue it with an air of antiquity.

Polychrome decoration is a technique distinct from the gold-lacquered wood carving of Chaozhou, which is why Wang Guan found this particular piece somewhat unusual. "When did I ever say this was Chaozhou wood carving?" At that moment, Fang Mingsheng shook his head and smiled. "Even if you're standing in Chaozhou, the carving isn't necessarily Chaozhou carving." "That's true, I jumped to a conclusion." Wang Guan smiled and readily admitted his error. "It's alright; when I first received this piece, I had a similar misunderstanding.

After all, among Chaozhou carvings, there is a technique called 'five-color adornment with gold,' which, like this piece, falls under the category of polychrome wood carving..." It should be noted here that although Chaozhou wood carving is habitually referred to as gold-lacquered carving, it actually encompasses numerous artistic expressions.

There is the fully gold-applied carving, the polychrome carving embellished with gold, the monochrome lacquer carving dyed entirely red (or black), and the plain carving that preserves the original wood grain.

However, the gold-lacquered style is simply the most famous. "It was only later, when I showed it to Elder Zeng for his opinion, that he stated it was not Chaozhou wood carving." As he spoke, Fang Mingsheng chuckled, "But tell me, can you not determine what school of carving this belongs to?" "I know it's root carving, but as for the specific style or school, that's harder to say." Wang Guan admitted frankly, "After all, China has countless wood carving traditions.

Aside from the major established schools, almost every region has its own distinct artisanal heritage.

Unless the style is strikingly obvious, it's truly difficult to judge." "Precisely." Fang Mingsheng heartily agreed. "So Elder Zeng also advised that we shouldn't obsess over schools of style; knowing it’s a polychrome wood carving executed with exceptional skill is enough." Although Chinese wood carving encompasses a vast range of categories, polychrome wood carving is undoubtedly one of the most distinguished.

Regardless of the underlying school, once pigments are applied to the carved object, it can be called polychrome wood carving.

What distinguishes it from other wood carving methods lies in the crucial element of painting (, huì).

Painting is executed upon the carvings of figures and objects, meticulously delineating their external appearance, emotional expressions, inner world, and minute details.

This technique bears a certain resemblance to enamel figurines or Tang Sancai (tri-colored glazed pottery).

Of course, when considering Chinese artistic forms, there are rarely rigid boundaries.

Once a technique appears, it quickly spreads horizontally, swiftly becoming fashionable.

Then, various crafts actively draw nourishment from it and adapt it for their own use, which is why Chinese art has blossomed into such a diverse array of forms.

The concept of "learning by analogy" stems precisely from this phenomenon. "What else did Elder Zeng say?" Wang Guan asked with growing interest, "For instance, anything about the carving's provenance, or its era?" "You can't tell?" Fang Mingsheng expressed surprise. "That truly is rare." "What's so rare about it?" Wang Guan retorted, raising an eyebrow. "I'm not a specialist in wood carving.

I know it’s polychrome, and I recognize the material is root from an old Longan tree...

wait, could it be Fujian's Longan wood carving?" "That's highly possible." Simultaneously, Wang Guan began to ponder. "After all, Longan wood carving often favors themes of celestial beings and Buddhas, and root carving is their specialty.

Moreover, Fujian borders Guangdong, so it's normal for influences to pass between them." "You've figured it out, so why pretend to be confused," Fang Mingsheng immediately laughed. "That's right, it is Longan wood carving." "I mainly realized it upon seeing the gnarled root nodes." Wang Guan explained casually, then observed it more closely, sensing something subtly amiss. "This is a Qing Dynasty wood carving." At this point, Fang Mingsheng revealed the object's background: "Elder Zeng said this is the work of the Ke School of Longan wood carving.

The figures emphasize spirit and charm; the drapery lines are fluid and graceful; the facial expressions are incredibly rich, coming vividly to life.

It stands out as a truly exceptional piece." "It is indeed a masterpiece," Wang Guan conceded with a nod, then smiled. "A treasure like this—are you truly willing to give it to me, Boss Fang?" "Willingness has nothing to do with it," Fang Mingsheng waved his hand generously. "You helped me appraise this and saved me from a massive loss.

This token of thanks is nothing in comparison." "Then I shall...

not be modest.

Thank you, Boss Fang." Wang Guan stopped prevaricating and "gratefully accepted" the gift.

Seeing this, Fang Mingsheng was also pleased.

After all, if someone refused a gift he offered, he would feel a loss of face.

Besides, Wang Guan's guidance was a favor of no small measure; if he didn't reciprocate, he would feel uneasy. "Oh, and Elder Zeng also mentioned that this should be an antique-style polychrome..." "Antique-style polychrome?" Wang Guan frowned, a touch of confusion surfacing. "Yes, antique-style polychrome—Qing Dynasty imitating Tang Dynasty." Fang Mingsheng said with a smile, "Although the pigments on the wood carving look incredibly mottled and ancient, they are actually artificially aged." "How so?" Wang Guan asked curiously, then paused thoughtfully. "Are you suggesting this was a forgery made in the Qing Dynasty?" "Clever.

You guessed it immediately." Fang Mingsheng nodded. "Generally speaking, after a wood carving model is finished, it undergoes more than twenty processes, including sanding, applying ground cloth, brushing the base coat, painting the colors, outlining, and finally applying the tint.

The proportions of the adhesive and the choice of pigments are highly specialized, so the colors remain extremely durable; they might not even fade after a century of wind and rain." "That's perfectly normal." Wang Guan strongly agreed.

While cutting corners certainly happens, masters would always strive for perfection and would never resort to such dubious methods that could damage their reputation. "The carving technique here has a Tang Dynasty style, and the mottled, flaking colors resemble an artifact from a thousand years ago, from the Tang Dynasty.

However, Elder Zeng studied it closely and found that the wood material is extremely hard, showing no signs of decay—which severely contradicts the weathered appearance of the surface patina." As he spoke, Fang Mingsheng chuckled, "So, after Elder Zeng's careful observation, he concluded this piece was from the mid-Qing period, but someone used various skills and techniques—burning, brushing, smoking, dyeing—to artificially age it into its current state.

Perhaps you are correct; it might have been a forgery back then, but today, it is a precious, genuine wood carving antique." "No wonder." At that moment, Wang Guan realized with sudden clarity. "I thought something felt off.

After all, it’s Qing Dynasty pigment; it shouldn't have deteriorated so severely.

So, it was the masterpiece of an ancient artisan." Don't doubt it.

Even though ancient masters valued their integrity, some highly skilled individuals pursued illicit gains and engaged in dishonorable deeds.

Take Master Zhu, for example.

Despite possessing superb skill, he chose the wrong path, driven by a desire for ill-gotten wealth.

What could anyone do about it? "Of course, these are all just speculations," Fang Mingsheng continued relaying Elder Zeng's words. "The vogue for imitating antiques was very popular in the Qing Dynasty.

The three emperors of the High Qing period all favored retro styles, which naturally influenced the social atmosphere among the populace.

Some people imitated antiques hoping to pass them off as genuine ancient artifacts, while others simply catered to the prevailing taste; it wasn't necessarily intended as deceit..." "True enough." Wang Guan nodded.

While he held dark suspicions in his heart, humans naturally prefer to associate possibilities with the brighter side.

(To be continued...)RT