Zhang Daqian’s second brother, Zhang Shanzi, is very famous for drawing tigers. In his early years, Zhang Daqian worked with his second brother to draw tigers, but often his second brother painted tigers, and he supplemented the scene. In fact, Zhang Daqian can draw tigers, but he seldom does. Once, he painted a picture of a tiger after drinking and went out. Many businessmen came to his house and asked him to paint a tiger at a high price. Zhang Daqian and regret not cope, because Second Brother enjoys a high reputation for drawing tigers, have always avoided drawing tigers for Second Brother’s sake.
In fact, second brother is not unhappy about it. second brother praised his “tiger chart” and inscribed it. However, Zhang Daqian still cannot forgive himself. He was originally fond of drinking. This time he swore: “From now on, he will not drink or draw tigers.” Sure enough, Zhang Daqian has never had anything to do with drinking and painting tigers since then.
Sell paintings
Zhang Daqian regarded his collection of ancient calligraphy and painting as a treasure all his life. No matter how much money he gave to Chinese or foreigners, he would not sell it.
However, in 1951, Zhang Daqian made an astonishing decision: to sell three priceless national treasures: Han Banquet Map by Gu Hongzhong of the South Tang Dynasty in the fifth generation, Xiaoxiang by Dong Yuan of the South Tang Dynasty in the fifth generation, and Mount Wuyi by Fang Congyi of the Yuan Dynasty. He transferred it to a friend of his at the lowest price. The price is even lower than that of ancient calligraphy and painting in the Hong Kong market. For example, “Han Banquet Map” only costs 20,000 US dollars! Zhang Daqian’s move shocked and puzzled many people.
“Han Banquet Map” was bought by Zhang Daqian at a high price in 1933 and is also the most beloved of all Zhang Daqian’s Tibetan paintings. Why would he give up his love at a low price? The mystery was not revealed until Zhang Daqian died. It turned out that Zhang Daqian was afraid of losing national treasures overseas and would become a sinner through the ages, so he decided to keep the painting at home. He took a special way to transfer it to a friend at the lowest price.
Soon, under Zhou Enlai’s instructions, Zheng Zhenduo, then the director of the State Administration of Social and Cultural Affairs, rushed to Hong Kong and bought the three national treasures at the original price from Zhang Daqian’s friend.
Abstain from gambling
In the 1920s, there was an active figure named Jiang Zichen in Shanghai. This person founded the “Poetry Society” in Shanghai’s Mendelian Road, and took the lead in Gambling in the way of “riddles of poetry”. Zhang Daqian also often gambles here. Wang Xizhi’s Cao E Tablet, left over by his great grandfather as a “family heirloom”, has inscriptions and postscripts of seven Tang Dynasty celebrities, including Cui Hu and Wei Gao.
One day, at Jiang Zichen’s request, Zhang Daqian brought this rare a rubbing from a stone inscription to the public for viewing. Only to find that he “lost” in succession after “entering the bureau” that night, in a twinkling he owed Jiang zichen more than 1,000 ocean gambling debts. Jiang Zichen said to him with a fake smile, “Why don’t you use the a rubbing from a stone inscription to pay for it?” When he calmed down, he deeply regretted his easy abandonment of his ancestors’ relics. He vowed not to enter the gambling house until he died and not to let his family play mahjong. He also sternly warned his children and grandchildren: “No one is allowed to enter the gambling house. If he enters the gambling house, he is not one of my Zhang family!”
This is not the end of the matter: 10 years later, Zhang Daqian’s mother asked for a copy of Cao E Bei when she was dying in Anhui. When Zhang Daqian heard that Jiang Zichen had already sold a rubbing from a stone inscription, he did not know whose hand it was. He became an ant on the hot pot. When Ye Gongchuo and Wang Qiuzhai visited and asked about Mrs. Zhang’s illness, Zhang told them the truth. At this time, there was a dramatic scene-Ye Gongchuo pointed to his nose and said he was there.
Zhang Daqian immediately pulled Wang Qiuzhai to the corner and begged Wang to convey three requests to Ye. First, if he could cede, he would pay the original purchase price. Second, if one cannot bear to give up one’s love, one is willing to exchange his collection of paintings and calligraphy of past dynasties. Third, if neither of the two methods works, ask for a temporary loan for two weeks and return it after presenting it to the mother for review.
Wang conveyed Zhang’s meaning to Ye. After hearing this, Ye Gongchuo said, “It is human nature that a rubbing from a stone inscription is a relic of thousands of ancestors and Madame Taishan is in be critically ill, hoping to see it for a while. I am willing to give back the original wall to Daqian, not to mention paying back the original value or bartering! ” Zhang Daqian was so grateful that he did not know what to say. He immediately went up to kowtow to thank him.
