Author Description

The evening of June 26, 1923. A conflagration destroys the Palace of Established Happiness in Beijing's Forbidden City. Every single painting and piece of calligraphy in the Qianlong Emperor's collection is consumed in the fiery blaze. Was the fire man-made? Had the paintings and calligraphy already gone missing before the fire started? These two questions remain unsolved mysteries to this day. Author extensive research over many years has unearthed a number of authentic antique Chinese paintings and calligraphy that still survive. Each of these artistic treasures are between roughly five to more than 50 meters long. The fact that each scroll bears the seal marks of dozens and, in some cases, over one hundred collectors and connoisseurs is, of course, the most compelling evidence of these scrolls’ traceable provenance. This book delves into one of these works: the Emperor Huizong's calligraphy. To help readers appreciate the Emperor Huizong's calligraphy, the author has employed a simple ten-question format that offers an insight into essential identification methods.?? 1923626 “” 2 1 100 “” “”10QA