Seeing Elder Kong growing anxious, Elder Zhou began to hedge, "I'm not exactly an expert in appraising ceramics; the real specialists are over there. Wang Guan, take a look too. Young people need experience. Even if you misjudge it, it doesn't matter; the most important thing is to learn lessons and gain something from it..."

"Yes."

Elder Zhou needed a scapegoat, and Wang Guan wasn't about to shirk responsibility. He immediately stepped forward to take over the appraisal work. Besides, after watching from the sidelines for quite a while, Wang Guan was also eager to try his hand.

The Chenghua doucai 'Heaven Character' Jar—even the Palace Museum in the capital had one, but that was a top-tier treasure. Normal people could admire it from behind a glass case, but to actually handle it was an absolute pipe dream. Now that such an up-close opportunity presented itself, Wang Guan certainly wasn't going to miss it.

However, even though Elder Zhou had presented evidence questioning the authenticity of the jar, Wang Guan wasn't going to jump to conclusions. Whether it was genuine or a replica, finding the answer himself would feel far more rewarding.

With this thought, Wang Guan composed himself and began to seriously examine the jar. Looking at an object firsthand versus observing it from a distance were two entirely different experiences. First, he could confirm that the jar was quite heavy. This wasn't stating the obvious; an object's weight was actually a crucial piece of evidence in determining authenticity.

For instance, jars, being utilitarian vessels for storage, necessarily required a certain heft and thickness so they could sit steadily and resist chipping or breakage. Generally, a jar's weight should certainly exceed that of a vase. If one day he encountered a feather-light jar, it would strongly suggest foul play.

But clearly, this 'Heaven Character' Jar's weight felt neither too light nor too heavy in Wang Guan's estimation; it felt rather appropriate.

After weighing it for a moment, Wang Guan continued his examination. Following his old habits, he should now be inspecting the clay body (taiti). However, with Elder Zhou's golden words still fresh, he deliberately skipped that step to avoid being influenced. Not that he wouldn't look at it, but he would save it for last, preventing any interference during the main appraisal process.

Temporarily setting aside the clay body, Wang Guan's gaze landed on the glaze surface, focusing on studying the materials and decorative patterns.

While observing, Wang Guan casually asked, "Elder Qian, the patterns on the Chenghua 'Heaven Character' Jar—I recall they include motifs like sea horses and floral scrolls, but never human figures, correct?"

"That's right," Elder Qian nodded. "At least up to this point, and according to documented literature, there has never been any record of human figures on a Chenghua 'Heaven Character' Jar. In fact, that's one of the mysteries surrounding these jars."

"Mm."

Wang Guan nodded slightly. The jar depicted sea horse motifs, and there seemed to be no immediate flaws in that regard. These decorations were formed by the interplay of underglaze blue pigment (qinghua) and overglaze enamels, resulting in vibrant, competing colors.

Actually, Chenghua doucai ware was less doucai (contending colors) and more qinghua doucai (underglaze blue contending colors).

The underglaze blue served as the framework, forming the entire outline of the pattern. After the first firing, it yielded a semi-finished product. Then, enamels were filled into the framework and sent back to the kiln for a second, low-temperature firing, finally achieving a perfect doucai piece. The technique was complex, and the colors were vividly varied and bright, naturally granting it extremely high economic and artistic value.

However, as Wang Guan delicately touched these brilliant decorations, he became contemplative. After pondering for a moment, he carefully turned the jar over to closely examine the base.

The base displayed some yellowish-brown spots, which was the most distinctive feature of Chenghua ceramics. The 'millet paste' bottom (mihu di) appeared rough, but it was actually warm and smooth to the touch, lacking any harshness. Yet, the most eye-catching element was the 'Heaven Character' mark itself—the inscription was without any surrounding border or frame.

Although imitations of the 'Heaven Character' Jar were often produced from the Wanli period through the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong reigns, these forgeries typically included inscriptions like 'Made in the Wanli Period of Great Ming' or 'Made in the Qianlong Period of Great Qing,' classifying them as rather honest attempts at antique imitation. Folk kilns, however, were less meticulous; they simply put a 'Heaven Character' on the bottom, clearly intending to deceive.

"Well?"

At the same time, Yu Wei asked curiously, "Little brother, what have you observed?"

"It is not a replica."

Wang Guan paused, a look of certainty on his face. "It is definitely not a replica."

"Huh?"

The crowd reacted differently. Elder Zhou blinked, then after a moment's thought, broke into a smile. Yu Wei beside him, however, beamed with joy, happy to have one more person supporting his initial stance.

But Yu Wei's happiness evaporated in the next second. Wang Guan had only said half of what he meant. He slowly completed his statement: "It's not a replica; it's a yanpin—a modern fake!"

"Yanpin?"

In an instant, the situation reversed, leaving many stunned. After all, even replicas were categorized as old forgeries or new forgeries, but a yanpin was unequivocally a counterfeit. Moreover, judging by Wang Guan's tone, his certainty was absolute, leaving no room for debate.

"Wang Guan, we know you aren't someone who speaks recklessly," Elder Chang inquired at this moment. "If you claim it’s a yanpin, then present the evidence, so people don't assume you're just babbling nonsense like Fei Bai..."

"Why is what I say considered nonsense, but what he says is instantly believed?" Yu Feibai grumbled under his breath, fully aware that this was a gap in skill, amplified by the reputation Wang Guan had steadily built up over the past year.

No one paid attention to Yu Feibai; they continued to look at Wang Guan, eager for his explanation.

Wang Guan didn't play coy and stated directly, "The first point was already mentioned by Elder Zhou—the issue with the clay body—so I won't repeat that. What I want to discuss is the second point: the problem with the glaze surface."

"What's wrong with the glaze?"

Yu Wei frowned and couldn't help but retort, "The glaze on Chenghua porcelain is white, and the application method was further improved, resulting in a thick, moist, fine, and smooth surface, clear and flawless, like jade or cream. The color is gentle, balanced, crystal clear, and lustrous. Strictly speaking, it's far superior to the Yongle and Xuande periods. What could possibly be wrong?"

"Perhaps you mean the underglaze blue pigment?" Yu Wei shook his head. "You mentioned earlier that the imported Suma Lih Qing cobalt had been depleted by the Chenghua era, so Chenghua ware used the domestically produced Pingdeng Qing."

"Pingdeng Qing has a lower iron content. After firing, the color is elegant, clear, and bright, with minimal blooming, resulting in a pale, elegant blue tone. This contrasts sharply with the deep, rich cyan of the Suma Lih Qing from Yongle and Xuande. As he spoke, Yu Wei gestured, "You can see it in the blue coloration on this jar—it's bluish-gray, clear and distinct, full of a delicate elegance. Compared to the intense Suma Lih Qing, this subdued palette was more in line with the aesthetic tastes of the literati, which is why Chenghua porcelain replaced Yongle and Xuande ware as the mainstream within just a few decades."

"However, similar to Suma Lih Qing, the use of Pingdeng Qing was not prolonged."

Yu Wei recalled, "According to historical records, in the twentieth year of Jiajing, a fierce conflict erupted between porcelain workers and employers in the 'Porcelain Capital,' involving over a thousand people in feuds, causing many workshops to suspend operations. It even cut off the supply of Pingdeng Qing. When production resumed, they reverted to using standard cobalt."

"In other words, Pingdeng Qing was generally only prevalent during the Chenghua, Hongzhi, and Zhengde periods, plus the early Jiajing period—it was largely unused after that. So, in my view, this 'Heaven Character' Jar, whether in its glaze materials, underglaze blue, or even the mineral pigments used for the doucai, carries the flavor of its era. On what grounds do you call it a yanpin?"

"He must have a reason for saying that," Yu Feibai was quite confident, simultaneously retorting, "Lost glazes from antiquity can still be rediscovered in modern times. The crucial factor isn't the similarity of the materials, but the effect displayed after firing."

"Exactly. That's what I wanted to discuss," Wang Guan praised with a smile. "My second point concerns the degree of dryness of the glaze surface. As everyone knows, doucai porcelain requires two firings, meaning moisture evaporates more thoroughly, resulting in a relatively dry clay body and glaze surface. I trust everyone agrees on this point?"

"Dryness..." Yu Wei murmured, reaching out to brush the glaze. He immediately frowned. "It has a tactile resistance. Surely it's dry enough?"

"Are you certain there is a tactile resistance?" Wang Guan asked seriously. "This is very important; I hope you can distinguish it clearly."

"I am absolutely certain, completely certain," Yu Wei affirmed. "The glaze is smooth, but when my fingertips pass over it, there is a distinct, slightly abrasive feeling—it feels quite dry."

"Then it's settled."

For a moment, Wang Guan seemed relieved, a smile spreading across his face. "I thought I had misjudged it; I didn't expect you to agree. That only confirms there's an issue with the piece."

"What?" Yu Wei was dumbfounded, looking at Wang Guan in confusion. He couldn't fathom how his statement, which he thought was one of opposition, had somehow become agreement in Wang Guan's summary.

Yet, at this moment, a hint of a smile flickered in the eyes of Elder Qian and the others; they nodded slightly, appearing quite satisfied with Wang Guan's judgment.

"Why?"

At this juncture, Yu Feibai scratched his head, utterly perplexed. "I don't quite follow. Didn't you just say dryness is a significant characteristic of Chenghua porcelain? Why are you changing your tune now?"

"Dryness is normal, but excessive dryness is a very obvious flaw," Wang Guan explained with a smile. "You must remember, five hundred years have passed since the Chenghua era. Over such a long period, whether an item has been passed down or excavated, subjected to the baptism of time, the degree of dryness will certainly not be overly pronounced. But this glaze surface exhibits a tactile resistance and retardation, which is enough to indicate something is amiss."

"Of course..."

Sensing Yu Wei was about to argue, Wang Guan preempted him: "If this were the only point, it wouldn't prove much, but when combined with Elder Zhou's initial assessment, the problem becomes significant. Furthermore, I have a crucial piece of evidence..."

"What evidence?" Yu Wei pressed urgently.

"This..."

Wang Guan hesitated, then asked tentatively, "Elder Qian, may I say it?"

Hearing this, not only did Elder Qian's eyes flicker, but the expressions of Elder Zhou and Elder Chang beside him also subtly shifted.

"The hour is growing late..."

At that moment, Elder Qian suddenly smiled. "Brother Kong, we haven't brought any decent gifts for your opening celebration. Why don't we pool our resources and host a small gathering with light wine at my residence? We’d like to invite Brother Kong to grace us with your presence. What do you say?" (To be continued) RS