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Intoxicated by history of antiques
By Li Weiwei and Dong Jing |
October 26, 2009, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
JUBAO Pavilion in Anting Old Street is a 20-square-meter shop filled with the lifetime treasure collection of Zhang Wenzhong.
Larger items like the crane-shaped copper lamp, the gourd-shaped bottle made of blue and white porcelain from Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province, contrast with smaller ones like ancient silver coins from the Guangxu years of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and the Hetian Jade unearthed in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
You can find everything you want there.
Zhang Wenzhong, 72, was born in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. Influenced by his father, he was interested in antiques since childhood.
His father liked to collect ancient coins and gold, silver and jade items, mysterious objects which caught his young eyes' attention. Sitting on his father's lap appreciating and learning about antiques is his wonderful childhood memory.
He started in earnest in the antique business in 1989 when he accidentally found out through Xinmin Evening News about the start of an antique appreciation class. He attended the class for six weeks under the tutelage of professors from the Shanghai Museum.
Since then, his knowledge of antiques has been greatly upgraded.
In September 2007, his Jubao Pavilion officially opened in Old Street.
The old buildings, the leisure environment, the strong cultural and artistic atmosphere and his big collection of antiques seemed to bring out the best in each other.
Zhang smiles like a child as he proudly shows his prized "treasures."
"Look at this piece of Tianhuang Jade. I found it at a stall in Suzhou (Jiangsu Province) and the owner tried to charge 300 yuan (US$44), claiming it was found in Anhui Province," he said.
"I bargained with him, saying that the original home of this kind of jade is Fujian Province and it's impossible to find it in Anhui. I finally bought it for 50 yuan. It is now worth more than 10,000 yuan.
"I bought them just for fun," said Zhang. In his eyes, every antique is like an intimate friend.
He is intoxicated by the thousands of years' Chinese history and culture reflected in each piece. In order to find quality items, he is often away from home, to his wife's displeasure.
"Antiques are hard to evaluate and the value is totally based on your own judgment. My life has been very happy and enriched by doing this job," he said, caressing a piece of jade in hand.
Sharing the same interest has helped him to make a large group of friends.
In the small Jubao Pavilion, you can always find antique lovers appreciating articles and exchanging stories in a lively atmosphere.
If you are interested, you'd better pay a visit to this shop on Anting Old Street, talk to Zhang and listen to his story of antiques.
Larger items like the crane-shaped copper lamp, the gourd-shaped bottle made of blue and white porcelain from Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province, contrast with smaller ones like ancient silver coins from the Guangxu years of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and the Hetian Jade unearthed in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
You can find everything you want there.
Zhang Wenzhong, 72, was born in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. Influenced by his father, he was interested in antiques since childhood.
His father liked to collect ancient coins and gold, silver and jade items, mysterious objects which caught his young eyes' attention. Sitting on his father's lap appreciating and learning about antiques is his wonderful childhood memory.
He started in earnest in the antique business in 1989 when he accidentally found out through Xinmin Evening News about the start of an antique appreciation class. He attended the class for six weeks under the tutelage of professors from the Shanghai Museum.
Since then, his knowledge of antiques has been greatly upgraded.
In September 2007, his Jubao Pavilion officially opened in Old Street.
The old buildings, the leisure environment, the strong cultural and artistic atmosphere and his big collection of antiques seemed to bring out the best in each other.
Zhang smiles like a child as he proudly shows his prized "treasures."
"Look at this piece of Tianhuang Jade. I found it at a stall in Suzhou (Jiangsu Province) and the owner tried to charge 300 yuan (US$44), claiming it was found in Anhui Province," he said.
"I bargained with him, saying that the original home of this kind of jade is Fujian Province and it's impossible to find it in Anhui. I finally bought it for 50 yuan. It is now worth more than 10,000 yuan.
"I bought them just for fun," said Zhang. In his eyes, every antique is like an intimate friend.
He is intoxicated by the thousands of years' Chinese history and culture reflected in each piece. In order to find quality items, he is often away from home, to his wife's displeasure.
"Antiques are hard to evaluate and the value is totally based on your own judgment. My life has been very happy and enriched by doing this job," he said, caressing a piece of jade in hand.
Sharing the same interest has helped him to make a large group of friends.
In the small Jubao Pavilion, you can always find antique lovers appreciating articles and exchanging stories in a lively atmosphere.
If you are interested, you'd better pay a visit to this shop on Anting Old Street, talk to Zhang and listen to his story of antiques.
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