Chapter Eight, The Number One Tower in the World
This plate imitates Yongle porcelain, but the base is flat. If we connect the whole piece and observe it closely, we can confirm that this base should be Ming Yongle porcelain, yet it has a flat bottom. Could it be that it was originally not a porcelain plate
Blue and white porcelain tiles? The moment I think of blue and white porcelain tiles, I am reminded of the Baonen Temple Pagoda.
The entire tower has nine levels and eight sides, standing approximately 78 meters tall, which is comparable to the height of a modern building with twenty to thirty stories.
The total weight of the Yangshan Stone Tablet is estimated to be over 30,000 tons. Lifting such a heavy object onto its pedestal and then placing the inscription on top is currently impossible. As a result, after the Yongle Emperor had it quarried, the stone tablet became a significant unfinished project, lying in Yangshan for over 600 years
This also showcases the grandeur of the Yongle Emperor
It is even possible that before the completion of the Yangshan Stone Tablet, the Yongle Emperor had such a premonition and anticipated the potential outcomes. Therefore, the construction of the Beiyun Temple Pagoda began while the Yangshan Stone Tablet project was still underway
Speaking of this stele, modern people are likely to be amazed. This stele was erected by the Yongle Emperor to commemorate Zhu Yuanzhang. In order to demonstrate his filial piety and maintain his legitimate status, he once excavated the Yangshan stele at Yangshan in Tangshan County, Nanjing.
Ming Yongle porcelain features a red line encircling the junction between the inner wall and the bottom surface of dishes and bowls, with the center of the vessel being concave and the exterior convex, resembling a collapsed base
It was precisely for this reason that Yongle constructed the Baoyun Temple and the Baoyun Pagoda in Nanjing.
However, there is a significant issue here; the Yongle porcelain has a recessed base, yet the bottom of this plate is flat
He had also seen pictures of this tile online, but he just didn't think of it at that moment. Now, recalling these matters and the *illustrated* book, Zhou Mingluo began to make an effort to remember the images of the tile, and one by one aligned them with the porcelain plate in his hand. He was then pleasantly surprised to discover that the bottom of this porcelain plate was absolutely of the same type as the genuine blue-and-white floor tile, being extremely similar and close.
In addition to these many significant events that modern people are familiar with, the Ming Yongle Emperor also accomplished two major undertakings
This type of blue-and-white floor tile was not widely known for a long time. When the average person sees this tile, they often mistakenly assume it is a fragment, as if the center of a plate has been cut out. This is because the pattern on any single tile is incomplete; only by connecting multiple tiles can a complete pattern be formed
Zhou Ming's greatest oversight was that after discovering the entire porcelain plate was a composite of both new and old ceramics, he only remembered to observe the base and neglected the overall structure
Only when he suddenly recalled the overall shape of the porcelain plate did he realize that this plate seemed to be from the Yongle period
However, this tower is no longer solely a memorial to Zhu Yuanzhang; it also commemorates his mother
It is said that after the tower was completed, a total of 146 torches were installed both inside and outside the nine levels, each with a wick approximately one inch thick. During the day, this tower competes with the sun in brilliance; at night, it is a spectacular sight with smoke and fire rising like dragons. It is currently the only documented glazed pagoda in the country, and its unique artistic and aesthetic value enjoys high recognition both domestically and internationally, especially the exquisite glazed art of the tower, which represents a remarkable achievement in architectural art in Chinese history.
The magnificent architectural complex of the Forbidden City, which we can see today in the capital, was originally established by the Yongle Emperor. Furthermore, the compilation of the "Yongle Encyclopedia" took place during this time. Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, established the capital in Nanjing and set a family edict prohibiting the relocation of the capital. However, the Yongle Emperor disregarded this edict and directly moved the capital to Beijing
Without being on-site, it is difficult to imagine the size of this stone tablet. If it were to be erected, it would stand over 70 meters tall, equivalent to the height of approximately 25 to 26 stories today
One of them is the creation of the Yangshan Stone Tablet
This is also why Zhou Mingluo initially mistook the tile in his hand for a broken piece. In fact, this tile was even mistakenly placed together with other porcelain items, forming a plate.
Who dares to claim that a complete blue-and-white porcelain tile from the world's number one tower lacks the crystallization of cultural and artistic essence
The decorative patterns on this porcelain plate are concealed at the junction of the old and the new, using these patterns to mask a slight imperfection at the point of transition. This technique of assembling porcelain is diverse; the simplest method involves garlic juice. For instance, if we break a porcelain bowl and attempt to reassemble it, applying garlic juice at the fracture can help bond the pieces together, proving to be more practical than ordinary adhesives. As long as it is not submerged in water, it is unlikely to break again. The simplest method involves garlic juice. For instance, if we break a porcelain bowl and attempt to reassemble it, applying garlic juice at the fracture can help bond the pieces together, proving to be more practical than ordinary adhesives. As long as it is not submerged in water, it is unlikely to break again
In the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Dai stated in "Tao'an Dream Reminiscences": "The great antique of China, the grand kiln wares of the Yongle period, is the Baonen Pagoda. The Baonen Pagoda was completed in the early years of Yongle. Without the spirit, material resources, and achievements of the founding emperor, as well as the courage, wisdom, and strategy sufficient to encompass this pagoda, it could not have been accomplished."
The current assembly of this porcelain is not garlic juice, as its cracks are not obvious, and they are even difficult to see with the naked eye. If it were not for the prior knowledge that this was pieced together, even if Zhou Ming picked it up and examined it closely, he might not have discovered it. However, at this moment, there is no need for him to uncover it; before picking it up, he had already seen through it with a glance.
However, forgers can use decorative patterns to conceal cracks, making this forgery a form of art that is truly difficult to detect
The stele is divided into three parts: the body, the inscription, and the base. None of these three components can still stand in today's Yangshan. Even with modern technology, it is impossible to reassemble these three enormous and terrifying stone pieces into a single entity, let alone the manpower available six hundred years ago
Blue and white tiles? Are these truly the blue and white tiles from the world's number one tower? Moreover, they appear to be intact. If they are genuine, they would possess significant collectible value
Once again observing from a holistic perspective, Zhou Mingluo increasingly felt that the overall shape of the porcelain plate should belong to the Yongle porcelain.
Flat and even, a square piece of blue and white porcelain measuring about 10 centimeters on each side and 2 to 3 centimeters thick, this is a tile
Zhang Dai was a person from the Ming Dynasty. At that time, this tower still stood by the Yangtze River, visible to the passing ships. If it were still standing today, it would undoubtedly be one of the most important tourist attractions in the country. Unfortunately, this "First Tower Under Heaven," which was on par with the Great Wall, the Colosseum in Rome, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa as one of the Seven Wonders of the Medieval World, was destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion. In 1856, Wei Changhui, the Northern King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, fearing that the Wing King Shi Dakai would occupy the outside city’s Glazed Tower, set up cannons to attack the city. He dispatched troops to dig tunnels under the tower to detonate explosives while directly bombarding the tower with artillery. Ultimately, this "First Tower Under Heaven" was reduced to a pile of rubble, and the other buildings of the Great Bao'en Temple were also completely burned down due to the ensuing fire.
Certainly, in comparison to national treasures, this is far from it. According to historical records, the glazed tiles, glazed components, and white porcelain bricks used in the construction of this tower were produced in three identical sets. One set was used for the tower, while the other two sets were numbered and buried underground for future repairs in case of damage, to be reported to the Ministry of Works for matching parts. Although the Taiping Rebellion destroyed the already completed tower, a large number of glazed components marked with ink inscriptions were unearthed near the original site of the Baonensi Tower in 1958, and they are now housed in the National Museum of China, the Nanjing Museum, and the Nanjing Municipal Museum.
The Yongle Emperor originally intended to carve a stone tablet to commemorate Zhu Yuanzhang, demonstrating his filial piety to the world and proclaiming that he remained a good son of Zhu Yuanzhang. Even though he had seized the throne from his nephew, it was still legitimate, allowing him to better consolidate his imperial power. However, when the tablet was completed, it could not be erected, resulting in a half-finished project. One can only imagine how embarrassing and ridiculous this situation was. Even though he had seized the throne from his nephew, it was still legitimate, allowing him to better consolidate his imperial power. However, when the tablet was completed, it could not be erected, resulting in a half-finished project. One can only imagine how embarrassing and ridiculous this situation was
Just a few seconds later, Zhou Ming's eyelids twitched, and he finally recalled something
ceramic tile
Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di, the fourth son of Zhu Yuanzhang, was indeed a person of great ambition, capable of seizing the world from his own nephew. His character was also one that favored action over tranquility, and throughout his life, he accomplished numerous significant deeds
These are undoubtedly achievements that can only be accomplished by individuals of great ambition. Furthermore, the organization of Zheng He's voyages to the West has also left a significant mark in history.
The entire Baoyun Temple Tower was constructed according to the standards of the imperial palace, and this tower alone cost a staggering 2,485,000 taels of silver. Under the supervision of Huang Ligong, the Deputy Minister of Works during the Yongle era, and the renowned eunuch Zheng He, it took nineteen years to complete, employing over 100,000 craftsmen.
Although the tower was destroyed, some elements have been preserved, including a number of blue-and-white tiles scattered among the people
Silently closing my eyes, I pondered for a moment, rummaging through all the knowledge I had about Yongle porcelain in my mind.
Using blue and white porcelain as floor tiles is an unprecedented luxury; throughout history and across cultures, only the Yongle Emperor dared to do such a thing
At that time, it was impossible for the entire Baoyun Temple Tower to consist of only one tile, yet that tower was destroyed, and the number of tiles that could be passed into private hands is absolutely minimal. Just based on this significance, this tile is indeed a treasure
It was also the absolute tallest structure in Nanjing six hundred years ago, and the entire tower body is constructed from white porcelain and five-colored glazed bricks, with each brick engraved with images of Buddha and other patterns
As the quantity of items increases, prices inevitably tend to decline. However, most of these items are stored in museums. For individual collectors, being able to acquire such an item is still an extremely exciting matter. Zhou Mingluo is no exception, especially considering that knowing this could potentially be a complete piece of porcelain further enhances his ability to allow the yellowed book to absorb literary energy.
Having been immersed in the antique world for so long, especially excelling in porcelain, he has a particularly profound impression of this tower, known as "the First Tower under Heaven," "the Great Antique of China, the Great Kiln of Yongle," which stands alongside the Great Wall, the Colosseum of Ancient Rome, the Catacombs of Alexandria, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa as one of the Seven Wonders of the Medieval World
After all, the fame of this tower is immense
If it is not a porcelain plate, then what could it be
However, after discovering the doubts, Zhou Mingluo suddenly realized that he might have truly guessed wrong; this is not a fragment, but indeed a complete tile from the world's number one tower.
This completely excited him