Expert’s life takes big turn from frozen chickens to ancient art
Print Edition
WHEN Ji Chongjian was processing tens of thousands of frozen chickens at a factory in the 1980s he never dreamed of one day becoming a big art collector and the owner of an auction house.
“Life can never be planned,” the 60-year-old man said, smiling.
Today Lao Ji, or Old Ji, is a big name in the auction circle as he is both a collector and the owner of Chong Yuan Auction House. He is also an expert in ancient Chinese Buddha sculptures after working for 21 years at Shanghai Museum. Today he works as a consultant for the National Museum of China in Beijing.
Last week, a group of local celebrities, museum directors and private collectors gathered in Shanghai to celebrate Ji’s 60th birthday.
He prepared two well-designed albums featuring his collection of Buddha sculptures and ancient porcelain pillows for each guest. Some of his porcelain pillows were displayed outside the banquet hall. His porcelain pillow collection features 144 pieces dating from the Tang (AD 618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties, which amazed his guests as they rarely appear in the market.
“How time flies. Now I am an old man,” said Ji, who was wearing a shirt with a floral print. “I often think I belong to a generation that can never be reproduced as we witnessed too many dramatic changes both in our own lives and in our society.”
Born in a middle-class family in the former French concession, Ji was assigned to work at a chicken processing factory on a farm in the city’s suburbs for five years during the “cultural revolution” (1966-76).
“Our team had four people and we had to process nearly 100,000 frozen chickens every day,” he said. “It was too much for me. I couldn’t spend all my life facing these dead chickens.”
Fate seemingly intervened soon afterward when Ji got a job at Shanghai Museum.
“My teacher was Ma Chengyuan, the former museum director, and he wanted me to specialize in research on bronzes,” Ji said. “But there were already four people engaged in the area, so I proposed to focus my research on gilded bronze Buddha statues, which unwittingly opened a new world for me.”
Ji said he became lost in the ancient Chinese Buddha world for years and published a series of essays and books that bolstered his reputation both within China and abroad.
“Today I am still grateful to Ma, who taught me so much both in academic terms and about life. Our relationship was akin to father and son,” he said.
Ji said he could have continued working at Shanghai Museum until retiring, had Ma not died suddenly.
“Frankly speaking, I lost my support at the museum and I knew it was time for me to leave,” he said.
This prompted Ji to open a private auction house in 2002 with financial backing from friends.
“The total value of sales for one auction exceeded 30 million yuan (US$4.41 million),” he said. “I obtained my first bucket of gold easily.”
Ji said his academic background and his good relationship with numerous collectors helped his auction house succeed.
“For example, I started collecting these ancient porcelain pillows when I saw a picture of one with a little boy pattern owned by a Japanese collector. I had a vague recollection that the Asian Art Museum in Los Angeles once had a similar piece. So I flew there to get a closer look to see if it was a pair,” Ji said.
Hunch proved correct
His hunch proved correct and the porcelain pillows were indeed a matching set. It gave him the confidence to trust his judgement and he bought the piece from the Japanese collector.
His collection of 100 ancient Buddhas is also the envy of many collectors. One of the earliest Buddhas dates to the Jin Dynasty (AD 265-420).
“Only three such Buddhas exist around the world,” he said. “The carving technique makes these Buddha sculptures quite popular in the West and it is not easy competing with Western collectors.”
Four years ago, Ji retreated from the public spotlight due to health problems.
He resigned as director of his auction house and agreed to be a National Museum of China consultant.
“I wanted to begin a new life, returning to research. For me, money is no longer important,” he said. “It’s true that I used money to purchase my collection but I always tell my friends, especially those who already earned their bucket of gold, not to fret about tomorrow’s legacy any more.”
To collectors just starting out, Ji said he recommends choosing pieces based on knowledge and interest rather than just buying artworks with so-called “investment potential.”
“I have met many collectors who listen to the experts or make choices based on the big names,” he said. “I believe that once you are interested in one area, it is better for you to delve deeper into it with your own eyes.”
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