Chapter Twelve: The Boxer Walking Among Jade

Ten years ago, as on any other day, Tian Minwei sat quietly in his antique shop. He lit a stick of incense and placed it in the burner, then picked up the Diamond Sutra from the altar, crossed his legs, and began to chant.

“Thus have I heard, once the Buddha was…”

Mid-chant, someone entered through the door. Tian Minwei looked up and saw an acquaintance. He hurriedly stopped reciting, bowed respectfully to the altar, rose, and greeted the man with a smile.

“Old Zhao, it’s been a while! Please, have a seat.” As he spoke, Tian poured a cup of tea and handed it over.

Old Zhao took a sip. “Old Tian, how’s business lately?”

“Still alright, about the same as before.”

Old Zhao nodded. “I’m not here just to chat this time. I’ve brought you some business. Back in my hometown, an entrepreneur’s father is a jade collector. He’s well-off and wants to buy genuine pieces. Bring a few items and come with us to his house this afternoon.”

Tian Minwei was delighted. He quickly retrieved two boxes from the safe, put them in his backpack, locked up the shop, and went downstairs with Old Zhao.

Outside, a Mercedes SUV was parked. When he opened the door, he saw a man already seated inside—a burly figure with slicked-back hair, dark glasses, and casual attire. As they entered, the man opened his eyes and glanced at Tian Minwei.

Tian recognized him instantly—wasn’t this Professor Wang, the jade and Hetian expert from the Institute of Cultural Relics? He hurried to greet him, “Professor Wang, hello, hello.”

Professor Wang gave him a sideways glance, grunted, and closed his eyes again, resuming his meditative stillness like a grandfather clock.

Seeing this, Tian Minwei thought it best not to disturb him further. He sat quietly next to the expert.

After about twenty minutes, the car stopped. Tian Minwei got out, following Old Zhao and Professor Wang into a five-star hotel. They took the elevator to the fifth floor and stopped before a private suite.

Old Zhao knocked. A voice inside called, “Come in.”

Old Zhao entered, with Tian Minwei and Professor Wang following. Seated inside was an elderly gentleman, perhaps in his late sixties or seventies, dressed in a gold-colored LILANZ suit, wearing classic leather shoes, and leaning on a purple sandalwood cane topped with a five-centimeter Burmese sapphire—an air of true gentlemanly grace.

Old Zhao was about to speak when Professor Wang rushed forward, pushing him aside. “Ah, sir, how have you been lately? I’m Professor Wang from the Institute of Cultural Relics, a doctoral advisor and jade expert.”

Tian Minwei, puzzled, whispered to Old Zhao, “From their greetings, Professor Wang and this buyer must have known each other for at least ten years.”

Old Zhao chuckled and muttered under his breath, “That guy acts familiar with everyone, everywhere—how else could he call himself an ‘expert’?”

Tian Minwei and Old Zhao sat to one side while Professor Wang and the buyer exchanged pleasantries for half an hour. Old Zhao, looking embarrassed, finally interjected, “Professor, perhaps we could get to the point? This is the owner of Fenghe Pavilion in the Antique Market, a big name in the jade business.” He gestured toward Tian Minwei.

Professor Wang snorted derisively. “So, you’re just a traveling merchant. We, on the other hand, are state-certified jade experts.”

Old Zhao, even more embarrassed, quickly smoothed things over, “Gentlemen, we’re all in the same trade, no need for formality. Please, show us your items so we can all appreciate them.”

Tian Minwei glanced at Professor Wang, who sneered, “You go first. My collection is national treasure-level; it’s not for the likes of you to see.”

With a smile, Tian Minwei took out a golden nanmu box, slid open the lid, and revealed a lamb-fat jade purification vase. The vase resembled the one held by Guanyin, pure white and flawless, about ten centimeters tall. Intricate lotus blossoms and vines curled around its body, and it rested on an original purple sandalwood stand, carved with a passion flower, high-legged and elegant.

Tian Minwei introduced it, “Gentlemen, this is a Qianlong Palace Workshop lamb-fat white jade purification vase, complete with its original sandalwood stand, repatriated from the Koryu Auction House in Japan. Please have a look.”

The elderly gentleman picked up the vase, examining it with delight. “Mr. Tian, how much for this Qianlong white jade vase?”

“Two hundred and fifty thousand.”

Professor Wang snorted, eyes closed in disdain.

The gentleman nodded, set the vase back in its box, and pushed it aside.

Tian Minwei then took out a custom linen box and revealed a small black and white jade sheep, carved in a reclining posture, vivid and lifelike, barely three or four centimeters long. Its base color was white, but streaked with black patches, one large one on its back, the face exquisitely rendered.

“Please take a look. This is a Song dynasty jade sheep. The black is not artificial but caused by natural underground fire in the tomb. The leaf-shaped tail is typical of the era. The jade itself is not the finest, but it’s genuine and heavily patinated.”

The elderly gentleman admired it, asking for the price. Professor Wang, sneering, remarked, “Young man, your pieces are worthless—none of them are genuine.”

Tian Minwei glanced at him. Professor Wang shot him a contemptuous glare and addressed the buyer, “Sir, in my professional opinion, both this so-called Qianlong palace white jade vase and the Song dynasty jade sheep are high-quality forgeries.”

Tian Minwei was stunned. He knew both items were authentic, with clear provenance—how could they be fakes? He moved to argue, but Professor Wang cut him off.

“Young man, I’m a doctoral advisor at the Institute of Cultural Relics, an expert recognized by the state. My word is as good as a certificate. No need to argue. Pack up and leave.” With that, he shoved the box containing the vase back toward Tian Minwei, who, swallowing his anger, packed up the box.

He forced a smile. “Professor Wang, perhaps you could show us your collection so I might learn a thing or two?”

Professor Wang barely looked at him. “Con men like you aren’t qualified to see my collection. Pack up and get out.”

Suppressing his fury, Tian Minwei shouldered his bag and stormed out of the suite.

In the elevator, he suddenly remembered he’d left the Song dynasty jade sheep on the table. He rushed back upstairs and, without knocking, entered the suite.

Inside, he heard haggling.

“Sir, we’re old acquaintances—fifty thousand.”

“Thirty thousand.”

Tian Minwei was stunned by the scene before him. Professor Wang was holding a sixty-centimeter diameter jade “Pig Dragon” from the Hongshan culture. Even from a distance, it was obvious—the piece had just been artificially aged with hydrofluoric acid, a low-grade fake known in the trade as “instantly fake.”

When Professor Wang saw Tian Minwei, he hurriedly covered the “Pig Dragon” with his hands, shouting, “Who let you in? Didn’t your parents teach you to knock?”

Tian Minwei, seeing the “Pig Dragon,” lost all anger. So that was the extent of his ability—just bluster and bravado. He smiled, “Professor Wang, your collection is truly impressive. Even the Palace Museum doesn’t have one like this—it must be worth three hundred million.” With that, he picked up the jade sheep and left.

Back at his shop, he locked the two pieces in the safe. “That Professor Wang is shameless,” he muttered. “You can find fakes like that anywhere in the Panjiayuan ‘counterfeit zone.’” Checking his watch, he saw the day had ended and drove home.

A dozen days later, Tian Minwei and his wife Wang Shurun were sitting in the shop as usual. Tian Minwei, as always, was chanting the Diamond Sutra. Old Zhao came in. Wang Shurun greeted him, poured tea, and they sat.

Tian Minwei grinned, “Old Zhao, did Professor Wang sell his ‘Great Hongshan’ piece?”

Old Zhao spat in disgust. “Don’t mention it. Even I could tell it was a blatant fake. In the end, he sold it to the old gentleman for thirty-five thousand. Not even a day later, I got a call—the buyer realized it was a forgery, wanted to return it, and argued with Professor Wang. The professor didn’t dare show his face and refunded the money immediately, didn’t even want the piece back.”

Wang Shurun laughed, “Don’t just talk about Professor Wang. Isn’t Zhou from Such-and-Such Museum just as clueless? He ran a seminar here in the antique market—couldn’t date or authenticate anything properly. I bet Professor Wang still thinks that ‘Great Hongshan’ was real.”

Old Zhao looked at Tian Minwei. “Old Tian, bring those two pieces and come with me to the old gentleman’s house again. I think he really wants them. He’s not short of money—he just wants genuine things.”

Tian Minwei waved his hands. “No more, Old Zhao. If I go again and run into another ‘expert’ like Professor Wang, who pulls out a ‘Heirloom Imperial Seal,’ my poor heart can’t take it.”