He, with great courage, did not hesitate to throw thousands of dollars, and went through thousands of painstaking efforts to search for ancient cultural relics, only because "gold is easy to obtain, and the national treasure is unique"; he, with high moral character and insistence on his own heart, would rather give up his precious life to protect the Chinese collection; he, clean and self-righteous, indifferent to fame and fortune, donated his life's collection to the country free of charge, although the Forbidden City is not his home, but his things are in the Forbidden City. His integrity and style have influenced generations or even generations of literati, and he is a respected collector and the first cultural stranger in modern China.
In April 2018, on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of his birth, the Forbidden City specially held a "Commemorative Exhibition of Collecting what he has received, forever preserving my land", which showed the ancient famous calligraphy and paintings that he lost his family and protected with his life, and the person who took private as a public and donated national treasures was Zhang Boju, one of the "Four Princes of the Republic of China".
▲A photo of Zhang Boju when he was young
Zhang Boju was born into a family of officials and eunuchs, was a cousin of Yuan Shikai, and his father Zhang Zhenfang was a jinshi at the end of the Qing Dynasty, who successively served as an envoy of Hunan Tifa, a viceroy directly subordinate to him, and a minister of Beiyang, so it can be said that he is the standard rich second generation.
He entered a private school at the age of 7 and was able to write poetry at the age of 9, enjoying the reputation of "child prodigy". Although he came from a prominent background and had a troubled family, he did not get into bad habits. Friends described him as "not smoking, drinking, gambling, silk, never wearing a suit and shoes, and eating very casually." He was not at all flamboyant, and the requirement for the car was that it had four wheels and could turn. ”
"Strangers are like jade, and princes are unparalleled in the world." To describe him is the most appropriate, but he who has been in a long shirt for many years, is a gentle and elegant prince, and his elegant and beautiful temperament makes many girls secretly agree.
Perhaps according to the regular trajectory of life, Zhang Boju, who was handsome and talented, should have inherited the family business and honored his ancestors, but he was born with a noble nature, did not recognize officials, and did not recognize money, because he could not stand the corruption of the officialdom, he abandoned the official and left to concentrate on studying poetry, calligraphy and painting, and opera.
In the face of his behavior, his mother said that he would follow his wishes and not force it, but his father was afraid that his playthings would lose his mind, so he arranged for him to go to work at the Salt Industry Bank, one of the "four major banks in China", and it was this experience that opened Zhang Boju's hobby of collecting and also practiced his fiery eyes. In his daughter's original words: "When the father never hit (walked) in his life." ”
So why did Zhang Boju train a pair of fire eyes and golden eyes in the bank? What are the factors in this?
Originally, it was because of the strong background of the "government-business joint venture" of the Salt Industry Bank, at that time, due to the corruption and incompetence of the Qing government, a large number of literary and creative paintings in the palace flowed into the people, and many of them were mortgaged in the warehouse, which undoubtedly gave Zhang Boju a great opportunity to play and watch.
There is almost no logic to the hobby of "collecting", and when it comes to the authenticity of cultural relics, clever collectors often judge according to their intuition. It is precisely because of the appreciation of a large number of rare treasures that Zhang Boju does not need much knowledge to be able to judge by intuition alone and has superb discriminating ability.
In 1927, the 30-year-old Zhang Boju took a copy of the Kangxi Imperial Pen calligraphy "Cong Bi Shan Fang", without the slightest hesitation, directly paid 1,000 pieces of ocean to pocket this work, and since then he has been out of control and began his collecting career.
"Yu Sheng was in turmoil, hated to read less, and after thirty years he became addicted to calligraphy and painting, and although he saw that the famous and huge system used to borrow debts to collect money, people may laugh and have no regrets." This is Zhang Boju's self-description in the "Preface to cong bi calligraphy and painting". Yes, calligraphy and painting always have an invisible charm that makes people obsessed with it and cannot extricate themselves.
Just as the so-called talent loves beautiful people, perhaps the favor of heaven, Zhang Boju met the love of his life, Pan Su, when he was 37 years old.
"Standing next to a bottle of cold plums, the long black cheongsam and long earrings set off the gentle charm of the Republic of China, the tassel tent is warm, the spring light is swirling, and she can almost hear her whispering Beijing dialect with a little Wu tone." Dong Qiao once described Pan Su in "Forever Pan Huisu".
"Pan Bu is light in the palm of his hand, and the ten miles of incense dust are born of socks." The concubine plays the song, and the thousand autumn hu words into the pipa. This is the lyrics written by Zhang Boju when he first saw Pan Su, and the short 24 words made Zhang Boju's talent fully displayed, and also made Pan Su move his heart. Because Pan Su was in the wind and dust at that time, the pair of talented women were tortured, and after layers of difficulties, they finally had lovers who finally became dependents.
He was 37 and she was 20, and she became his wife. In fact, at that time, Zhang Boju already had three wives and concubines, and adhering to the promise of one or two people in his lifetime, he dismissed them one after another. And Pan Su also lived up to expectations, dedicated to assist Zhang Boju, even if he later lost his family, sold real estate and gold and silver jewelry, and even later had nowhere to live, relying on selling calligraphy and paintings to support the family, she did not have half a complaint, she was absolutely a virtuous helper, Zhang Boju donated calligraphy and paintings, half of the credit comes from Pan Su's courage.
For the sake of these cultural relics, Zhang Boju spared no effort to sell his private property, from a brother who ate and drank without worry, to a Confucian who was poor in life, who relied on people and friends to help, and even suffered from eight months of kidnapping.
So today, let's take a look at these priceless treasures donated by him!
Jin-Lu Ji-《平復帖》
The Pingfu Ti is written more than 1700 years ago, and it is the earliest and authentic Western Jin Dynasty famous Artist Fa Ti in existence. It is written on hemp paper with a bald pen, the pen is gentle, the style is plain and simple, and its font is cursive. Pingfu Ti occupies an important position in the history of Chinese calligraphy, and is revered by the collecting community as "the first post in China", and at the same time has reference value for the study of text and calligraphy changes.
In 1938, PuRu's mother died, and he urgently needed money to handle the funeral, and Zhang Boju bought the "Ping Fu Ti" for 40,000 silver yuan. In the era when 500 silver dollars could buy one of the most expensive Western-style buildings in Beijing, 40,000 silver dollars was a sky-high price, and even so, Zhang Boju did not give up and became the last owner of "Ping Fu Ti".
After getting the "Ping Fu Ti", he regarded it more than his own life, and even if he was kidnapped and worried about his life, he did not compromise at all. During the Japanese invasion of China, Zhang Boju took his wife and children and sewed important calligraphy and paintings, including "Ping fu ti", into the clothes and fled to Xi'an, which was not occupied by the Japanese army, so that the "Ping Fu Ti" was avoided from being robbed.
Tang Dynasty Du Mu's only surviving inkblot "Zhang Haohao's Poem"
The volume of Zhang Haohaoshi is the only inkblot handed down by the Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu, inscribed by Emperor Huizong of Song, Zhao Tuo, which is found in volume 9 of the Xuanhe Book Genealogy, and has the seals of Emperor Huizong of Song, preserving the decoration style of the inner palace at that time. Later, it was handed over to Jia Xiangdao in the Song Dynasty, Xiang Yuanbian in the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Xiaosi, Liang Qingbiao in the Qing Dynasty, and others, and entered the Tibetan Inner Province during the Qianlong period.
The volume was once taken out of the palace by the Qing Dynasty Emperor Puyi, and after being scattered among the people, he bought it back for Zhang Boju.
In 1956, Mr. Zhang Boju donated this volume of Du Mu's book "Zhang Haohaoshi" to the government, and the precious cultural relics were re-collected by the Palace Museum.
Tang Dynasty Li Bai's only surviving inkblot "Shangtai Post"
"Shangtai Ti" is Li Baishu's self-chanting poem, which is the only authentic calligraphy of Li Bai passed down from generation to generation, and is also a "national treasure" in the national first-class cultural relics, known as "first-class A".
During the Northern Song Dynasty, the "Shangtai Post" was entered into Xuanhe Inner Province, and later returned to Jia Xiangdao, the Yuan Dynasty through Zhang Yan, and the Mingzang Xiangyuan Yuanbei Tianlai Pavilion. In the Qing Dynasty, it was first obtained by An Qi, and then entered the inner palace, and at the end of the Qing Dynasty, it flowed out of the palace, and was purchased by Zhang Boju during the Republic of China.
After the founding of New China, Zhang Boju gave chairman Mao the "Post on the Balcony". In 1958, Chairman Mao made a rule that "all gifts received by party and state leaders shall be paid to the public." Therefore, this "Upper Balcony Post" was sent to the Collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing.
Sui Dynasty Zhan Ziqian's only surviving painting "You Chun Tu"
This painting is the painter's only surviving work and the oldest surviving scroll in China. Painted with trees into forests, peach blossoms dotted with branches, beautiful mountains and rivers, beautiful scenery, three or five people traveling to enjoy the flowers in spring; in the distance, the smoke and clouds are ethereal, as if in a fairyland.
In order to snap up "You Chun Tu" and avoid losing it abroad, Zhang Boju and his wife sold the fifteen-acre courtyard of Bowstring Hutong, which has a market value of hundreds of millions of yuan today, which is Zhang Boju's favorite house.
Southern Song Dynasty Yang Jieyu "Hundred Flowers"
"Hundred Flowers Picture Scroll" is the earliest surviving female painter Yang Jieyu of the Southern Song Dynasty in mainland China, and is now the treasure of the Jilin Provincial Museum, which was donated to the Jilin Provincial Museum by Mr. Zhang Boju in the 1960s.
Zhang Boju once expressed it like this: "I have been accompanied by calligraphy and painting all my life, and in my old age, I will only have such a treasure around me, and when I look at it every day, my spirit will be better."
But such a work, which he regarded as a spiritual comfort, was eventually donated.
Northern Song Dynasty Huang Tingjian's Theravada Scrolls
This post is the work of Huang Tingjian in his later years, and the calligraphy has two bodies, which contrast with each other, which is particularly rare and is a very valuable masterpiece.
It was originally stored in the Southern Song Dynasty song Gaozong Inner Mansion, later returned to Jia Xiangdao, the Ming Dynasty was stored in Li Yingzhen, Huaxia, Zhou Lianggong, the early Qing Dynasty Tibetan Sun Chengze Yanshan Zhai, later returned to Wang Hongxu, Qianlong was included in the Inner House, to the end of the Qing Dynasty out of the palace, purchased by Mr. Zhang Boju, and then donated to the state, now in the Palace Museum in Beijing.
Song Huizong Zhao Tuo's "Snow River Guizhuo Scroll"
This is a landscape painting depicting a snowy scene in winter. After entering the middle section, the mountain gradually rises and tends to be gentle, and the whole picture is rich in a sense of rhythm with high and low staggered, so that the viewer seems to be immersed in the scene, sitting in a boat, looking out the window along the river from time to time, fully demonstrating the characteristics and charm of long-scroll painting.
The whole volume is fine with pen, smooth brushwork, and solemn artistic conception, which represents the artistic level of the painting academy during the Song Huizong period.
Yuan Dynasty Qianxuan "Mountain Residence Picture Scroll"
"The mountain dwelling is only quiet, and the firewood gate is hidden at noon." Oligarchs are jealous and have no self-esteem. The cranes are ambitious, and Lan Ai has different roots. Andromeda, meet and discuss. Wu Xingqian chose Shun to raise a painting and write a title. ”
Qian Xuan created this picture based on his own reclusive life. The delicate and flexible brushstrokes outline the outline of the mountain stone forest, apply green and heavy colors, and embellish it with gold powder, the picture is gorgeous and elegant, rich in decorative meaning, which is a representative work of Qian Xuan inheriting the Tang and Song "golden and green landscapes" painting method and using it to reflect the literati's yixing.
At the beginning of the volume, there are two words for Nanyang Teng's use of the Heng Seal Book Shanju. At the end of the volume, there are inscriptions by 25 people, including the Ming people Yu Zhenmu, Liu Min, Zhou Fu, Fu Bosheng, Xu Fan, Chen Gong, Lanting Descendants, Hui jishanren, Zhi Ansheng, zhu Xin, etc., which are not recorded.
Ming Dynasty Tang Bohu's "Picture of a Prostitute in Wang Shu Palace"
"The Picture of the Prostitute of Wang Shu Palace" is a silk color painting created by the Ming Dynasty painter Tang Yin.
In 1956, Zhang Boju and his wife Pan Su donated the painting to the state free of charge, and the painting was later transferred to the Palace Museum for collection by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage.
Northern Song Dynasty Fan Zhongyan's only heirloom inkblot "Daofu Praise"
"Daofu Zan" is a calligraphy work written on paper by the Northern Song Dynasty writer and politician Fan Zhongyan during the Northern Song Dynasty (1017-1021), which is the only inkblot passed down by Fan Zhongyan and is extremely precious.
This praise was once collected by Song Fan's Yizhuang, Qing'anqi, Qingneifu and so on. Zhang Boju bought this praise for 110 taels of gold from the antique dealer Pu Bosheng of Beijing Liuli Factory.
In 1956, Zhang Boju donated it to the state free of charge and is now in the collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing.
Northern Song Dynasty Cai Xiang "Xingshu Zishu Poetry Volume"
Zhang Boju's life was scattered with family wealth to collect more than 100 cultural relics and paintings, if at first it was just a hobby, then later it was for the sake of righteousness. As he himself said: "Those who do not know, it is said that I have searched for the fine works of the Tang and Song Dynasties, and I have spared no expense to spend thousands of dollars and have great courage." In fact, I have worked hard and cannot be satisfactory. Because gold is easy to obtain, the national treasure is unique. I buy them not to sell them for money, but to be afraid that they will flow into foreign countries. ”
The top calligraphy and paintings that Zhang Boju protected were enough for his children and grandchildren to eat and drink for several lifetimes, but in the end, he even donated his favorite painting, "Hundred Flowers". He donated as many as 118 national treasures, before and after, in that turbulent era, China's cultural relics and treasures were preserved, all attributed to Zhang Boju, so for us Zhang Boju is already equivalent to "national treasure".
It is a pity that such a person with high wind and bright festivals still cannot escape the torment of illness. At the age of 84, due to a sudden and severe cold admission, the hospital arranged an 8-person ward at that time, because the ward was noisy and not conducive to rest, and he was afraid of cross-infection, his family transferred a single ward to the hospital, but Peking University Hospital refused with "insufficient level". In desperation, the family arranged to change a hospital, but the procedures were not completed, and Zhang Boju died.
In fact, Zhang Boju received a lot of unfair treatment in the second half of his life, such as the criticism of the Cultural Revolution, which drove him to a hut of less than ten square meters and confiscated all his property, but he was still safe and sound in the harsh environment.
Some people believe that Zhang Boju's death is a loss to China, because no matter how Chinese literature develops, there will be no more Zhang Boju! What do you think? Leave your opinion in the comments section!
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