Chapter 4
Chapter 4: Appreciating Art, Overturning Injustice
In the third month of the eighteenth year of Xiande or the sixth year of the sixty-year cycle, I had reached the age of twenty-two . After I had ranked first in the imperial examinations and become the zhuangyuan, there were many people who came to my home to play matchmaker . I declined them all, using the excuse that I was still young and wished to continue to study in order to better serve the government . Afterwards, fewer and fewer people came . Many of those with discerning eyes soon realized that even though I was a young zhuangyuan, there was little chance for me to rise in rank meteorically . 1 In addition, I buried myself in books, almost as if I was obsessed . This kind of person did not meet the requirements set forth by the influential families . As a result, I was able to experience a rarely occurring peace and quiet .
This day, as usual, I came to the Hanlin Academy to prepare for work . I saw a huge crowd gathered in the main hall . I was surprised . To know, even though I was a Hanlin Academician, there was still a hierarchy in the Hanlin Academy . Because I was the zhuangyuan, I was able to jump over a number of ranks (including Bachelor2 and Examining Editor3 directly to a zhengqipin4 rated position as a Junior Compiler . Above me were several positions including the Senior Compiler, Expositor, Reader, Expositor-in-waiting,5 Reader-in-waiting6, and Academy Chancellor 6 . When I looked over, I saw a diverse crowd . Amidst the crowd, at the top was the Academy Chancellor, Xie Xian, while on the bottom was a Bachelor who had recently passed the imperial examination alongside me in the second tier . I was greatly surprised, especially by the presence of those who were ranked as the Expositor-in-waiting and above who usually spent their time accompanying the King, were all gathered here . Walking forward, I noticed Academician Yin and Academician Tian arguing heatedly . On the table in the middle was an antique painting . Next to the painting was a red piece of paper . On it was written: Green Hills Sage Riverside Painting . 8 Everyone must be arguing over and trying to determine the provenance of the painting . After the King had decreed the establishment of the Palace of Sublime Culture, many people had donated their antique books, works of calligraphy and paintings, but real masterpieces were difficult to find .
Academician Yin gracefully said, “This painting must be fake . The earlier works by the Green Hills Sage have always been of green landscapes with a gorgeous style . His later works were influenced by his beliefs in Buddhism and Daoism, and were primarily of ink landscapes filled with tranquil beauty . Although this painting is an ink landscape, the brushwork is rugged, the clouds and mists are too eye-catching, and the river are roiling . Therefore, I do not believe that this is a work by the Green Hills Sage . ”
Academician Tian did not show any weakness in his response, “Although what you say makes sense, but look … the paper used for this painting is carefully selected . Although well preserved, we can see that it is a work of the Green Hills Sage time period two hundred years ago . We can also see the presence of the seal of the Green Hills Sage . From the postscript, there should not be any problems . ”
The other officials were split on both sides, arguing incessantly . Interested in what was happening, I carefully scrutinized the painting for a long time . Only after accessing my memories and using my own experiences, did I make my judgment . Everyone saw that I had come . Because I had shown significant skill in appraising antique works and was a newly appointed official, the two arguing academicians invariably both turned to me . The Academy Chancellor coughed and spoke, “Suiyun, what is your view?”
Walking to the table, I stood in front of the painting . Opening my mouth, I said, “First, looking at the characters on the painting . The upper section has the words: Brother Ke Ziyuan’s elegant pastime . The bottom section has the words: respectively manufactured the ninth day of the seventh month of the second year of Yuanyou, the 21st year of the sixty-year cycle . The four corners of the painting have signs pointing to the Green Hills Sage . On the top left has the zhuwen9 markings of the Ningquan Paint Engraving, the bottom left has the baiwen10 of the Linyuan Hall,11 the top right has the baiwen seal of an expositor of the Gezhang Pavilion,12 and the zhuwen seal of the Green Hills Sage . These four seals have all appeared on the other works by the Green Hills Sage . Academician Tian is amongst the best in identifying the provenance of seals, and is probably not wrong . From the contextual research, we can safely say that the Green Hills Sage was a famed scholar of the Jin Dynasty who was a zhengsipin 13 rated Expositor-in-waiting of the Gezhang Pavilion . After Western Jin was forced south by encroaching nomadic tribes, the Green Hills Sage was heartbroken and lived in seclusion at the Linyuan Pavilion in Sichuan . It is said that the sage was too poor to be able to rely on himself . Fortunately, he was able to receive financial assistance from the wealthy Sichuan merchant, Ke Ming, to survive through the years of warfare . If you look at the two seal markings from the Ke family, we can conclude that this painting was gifted to Ke Ming . ”
Taking a breath, I continued, “These seal markings all have historical antecedents . I have read the Green Hills Sage’s Sichuan Chronicles14 . In the ninth volume, it states, ‘during the autumn equinox, Ziyuan15 organized a feast, and both host and guest enjoyed a wonderful time . As we bade our farewells, the Ke family asked for one of my unworthy works . To express my thanks, I painted the Riverside Painting . I have also researched the Ke family . Although the family has disappeared into oblivion, I have found mentions in the work of Tao Kai called the Shu Records16 written during the waning years of the Western Jin Dynasty . In the chapter on Shi Chong 17 states, ‘When Shi Chong was young, he was treated indifferently as laborer for the Ke family . When he later became wealthy, he conspired with eunuchs and slandered the Ke family as rebels, resulting in their complete extermination . ’18 If you look at the bottom left, you can see that there is also Shi Chong’s Golden Valley Garden Treasure Depository seal . After Shi Chong and his family was also exterminated, most of his prized possessions ended up in the imperial court . On the middle left is the seal markings of the Prince of Changling . 19 The Prince of Changling was a member of the imperial clan of the waning years of the Western Jin Dynasty and was much favored by Emperor Yuan of Jin . 20 Emperor Yuan was the one who seized all of Shi Chong’s possessions . It is highly likely that this painting ended up in the hands of the Prince of Changling . If we consider all of these facts, especially with such a provenance, I believe that this painting is real . ”
The majority listening nodded their heads . Only Academician Yin was unable to accept these facts and said, “If everything you said is true, then how do you explain the painting style?”
Smiling, I replied, “This is only my personal view . If there is something wrong, I hope that everyone can point it out . Before fleeing south, the style of the Green Hills Sage’s works was bright, cheerful, and intense . Therefore, he liked to paint green landscapes . But the years before he traveled south, his painting style slowly became increasingly tranquil . He used ink as the basis before using green color on top . It’s probably likely that he was already painting ink landscapes . During the years he spent in Sichuan, very little of the Green Hills Sage’s works have been handed down . It wasn’t until Eastern Jin was established did he focus on ink landscape paintings . But, at the beginning, he preferred to use dense ink to embellish and had a straight and rigid calligraphy style . From this we can see that his time spent in Sichuan was a period of transition for his painting style . This also explains why so few works exist from this time period . Immature works would frequently be destroyed by their creator . I have read of the Green Hills Sage’s penchant for doing so in the seventh volume of his Sichuan Chronicles . ”
Listening up to this point, everyone had accepted my judgment, the look in their eyes becoming fervently respectful . After all, someone of my wide knowledge was quite rare .
After this incident, I was given additional work, most important of which was to enter the palace and go to the book repository to organize the official imperial documents . As we preparing to build the Palace of Sublime Culture, someone proposed that someone organize the histories of Southern Chu using the official imperial documents to be able to educate the younger generation of the imperial clansmen and aristocracy . Southern Chu had been founded for sixty years and experienced the reigns of two sovereigns, Zhao She, the founding Emperor Wu, and the current monarch, Zhao Sheng . Although I did not think there was much use, the rest of the Hanlin Academy all agreed and petitioned the King, delighting Zhao Sheng . Unfortunately, organizing the official imperial documents was a particularly troublesome task . Although I was a relatively new official, I was skilled . Academy Chancellor Xie Xian decided to give the responsibility to the Reader-in-waiting, Xia Song and assigned me to assist . Xia Song was already over sixty and was preparing to retire . As a result, I was the one actually with the responsibility, while Xia Song only worked for a few days before requesting a leave of absence and returning home to rest . The most troublesome aspect of his job was the need to enter the Palace Library and work in the book repository where all of the documents were stored . And, I could not enter freely and needed to be accompanied by the eunuchs assigned to these storehouses . As a result, I began to work less than a hundred zhang21 from the King . This was must be the true meaning of being very close and yet as far as ends of the earth .
The eunuch supervising these storehouses was surnamed Wang . His hair was already white . To sit every day for twelve to fourteen hours was detrimental to his health . During the first day, I said, “Eunuch22 Wang, we will probably have to spend up to half a month here . You don’t have to be polite . Just find a low ranking eunuch to come help . If I need your assistance, I will come find you every few days . ”23 Eunuch Wang was already getting up in years and had an idle position . Although the book repository were very close to the Imperial Library, the eunuchs of the Bureau of Ceremonies were all young and vigorous with the favor of the King . Eunuch Wang could not even get close to the King . As he was in no position to vie for the King’s favor, no one would bother to find trouble for him . So, he didn’t have to worry even if he wasn’t conscientious . Therefore, he dispatched a young eunuch, called Xiaoshunzi24, with less than a year’s experience to help me . This young eunuch’s intelligence and few years of schooling was very rare amongst eunuchs . Not everyone could have the education offered to those in the Bureau of Ceremonies .
When I saw Xiaoshunzi, I froze . If I remembered correctly, this was the young boy I had met upon arriving in Jianye who was selling himself to bury his father . How did he now become a eunuch? As there was probably something sad, it was not appropriate for me to ask him . Since he didn’t recognize me, I pretended that he was a stranger . This young eunuch was not bad, not only ably organizing the four treasures of the study, but also able to quickly find the petition or imperial document that I needed . We worked together harmoniously . A job that should have taken twenty days would probably only take twelve to thirteen at the most .
At noon on the third day, after lunch, as I was drinking light tea and preparing to take a brief respite, Eunuch Wang suddenly burst in assisted by two young eunuchs, yelling, “Xiaoshunzi, Xiaoshunzi, where did this young blasted servant go?” Curious, I looked at me, wondering what was going on .
Seeing me, a smiling expression appeared on Eunuch Wang’s face, “zhuangyuan Jiang, you’re here too?”
Rubbish, if I wasn’t here, where would I be? I wasn’t allowed to return home to take my afternoon nap . While I was thinking this, I said, “Gonggong, what’s happened? Has something happened to rile you up so?”
Angrily, Eunuch Wang replied, “The little bastard Xiaoshunzi’s hands aren’t clean, he has stolen my beloved snuff bottle awarded this old servant25 by the previous emperor . ”
Opening his eyes wide, Xiaoshunzi kneeled on the ground, and said, “There is no such thing, this servant26 does not have the gall or the bravery to steal something bestowed by the emperor . ” Having been castrated more than a year ago, before the age when children begin to physically mature, his voice was high-pitched . Now panicked, his voice became even more jarring .
Clearly his throat, a young eunuch helping GonggongWang said, “How dare you talk back? Do you think we don’t know? You were originally a criminal found guilty of robbery . When Steward27 Wang lost something, I immediately thought of you . And as expected, when we searched your room, we found the snuff bottle . ”
His face green with fear, Xiaoshunzi prostrated himself and replied, “This servant didn’t do it, this servant didn’t do it . Someone is definitely trying to frame me . ”
Eunuch Wang furious replied, “Are you saying that I framed you or Xiaofuzi28 framed you?”
Sweating with fear, Xiaoshunzi prostrated himself next to me, begging me, “Jiang Daren, you are someone educated, please help me explain to the Gonggong . These last several days, this servant has been helping by the daren’s side . How do I have the time to steal anything?”
I was originally watching the scene unfold before me in high spirits, having already seen what was going on . I noticed that although Xiaofuzi was a good actor, I could see that his breathing was agitated and his heart pounding, I had already concluded that he was deliberately framing Xiaoshunzi . But Xiaoshunzi’s background was not clean, so I did not have any way of explaining the situation . I did not want to become involved in any palace disputes so I gave him a gave a brief and indifferent look and didn’t say anything . Xiaoshunzi quickly became agitated . Seeing that I didn’t say anything, Eunuch Wang ordered, “Have him bound and sent to discipline room . The sentence for the crime of stealing something in the Royal Palace is death . Have him beaten to death . ”
Suddenly remembering the scene that I witnessed where Xiaoshunzi had tried to sell himself to bury his father, my heart softened . Since this wasn’t something major and he was innocent, I quickly thought up a plan . I indifferently said, “Eunuch Wang, seeing this servant cry so hard, maybe he is innocent?”
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