world class art fanatic

In countries that have experienced wars, the loss of cultural relics is inevitably accompanied by theft and smuggling by criminals, and the sale by collectors for money.

But the assistant directly classified all the Chinese cultural relics from the auction house as sold by the Chinese themselves, which Zhou Juntong found hard to accept.

However, her current identity is a commentator, and there are many visitors coming and going around her. She wants to avoid conflicts between Zhong Ying and her assistant in public.

So, Zhou Juntong struggled for a while, bypassed "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" and took a few steps forward, specially selected a bronze vessel with a clear source, and continued:

"This pen holder was purchased by Mr. Bellou at the auction house in 1953. It should be a batch of simple bronzes cast in the Song Dynasty. It has heavy traces of use. According to museum records, the original owner was a child of a poor family in China. , brush washers, pen holders and other complete sets of Song Dynasty bronzes are sold together to pay off debts.”

It's a pity that Zhou Juntong has not been able to give a detailed introduction to this antique, and Zhong Ying sighed.

"I've seen it."

His tone was affirmative, and he stared at the rough seal character "Jing" on the pen holder, refusing to look away.

Zhong Ying said: "This pen holder is something that Mr. Shen has used since he was a child. The Shen family is well-off, and there are countless such antiques. In the report of "Study" magazine in 1938, Mr. Shen once picked up a pen and gave it to "Study". 》The four characters of 'meeting friends through writing'."

"In the picture of the magazine, Mr. Shen happened to be in the mirror with this 'quiet' engraved pen holder."

"how can that be?"

This time Zhou Juntong couldn't restrain her surprise.

She hurriedly approached the showcase and carefully looked at the pen holder that she had seen countless times.

"I know that the character 'Jing' is engraved on it in seal script, but I never knew that this pen holder had something to do with Mr. Shen!"

Zhong Ying understands her astonishment, and even understands why the museum has detailed records like "The down and out family sells debts".

"This is normal." He smiled helplessly, "Do you want Bellu to tell you——"

"Mr. Shen was reluctant to leave him, so he gave the pen container, brush wash, and pen holder that he used since childhood to his friends?"

The same saying, once used is not fresh.

The pen holder used by literati is not as precious as the copy painting of "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains".

If Bellou really dared to say that, any staff who opened the museum records would find Mr. Shen strange and the source of the items suspicious, and would never think that this is a unique way for Chinese people to express friendship.

Zhong Ying lowered his eyes to look at the countless cultural relics in the showcase, quietly looking at them one by one.

The introduction label in the glass window has the characteristics of the Bello Museum——

Every introduction will inevitably write "how did Bellew get it at a certain time and place", adding authenticity and legitimacy to these exhibits.

Zhou Juntong followed his footsteps, and asked in a low voice anxiously: "Mr. Zhong, are the other exhibits..."

Zhong Ying understood what Zhou Juntong meant.

Whether the origin of other cultural relics is not clean, whether or not Bellu is lying.

Looking at the familiar Chinese cultural relics behind the glass, he dared not answer immediately, let alone fully confirm.

But Zhong Ying finally understood why the master had never brought him with him when he came to this museum several times to visit the ten-stringed qin.

Because five years ago, he was still young and knew the characteristics of most of the Shen family's collections.

Standing here, he will definitely ask a child's naive and terrifying question: "Why are Mr. Shen's things kept in Bellu's museum?"

Beat the grass and startle the snake.

Zhong Ying walked slowly through the entire Chinese Hall.

113 cultural relics have been sent back to the exhibition hall, and a large number of familiar collections can still be seen.

Because their value is not high enough, there are similar models in China, etc., they are not on the list that Master asked Bellew to bring back to China.

However, this does not prevent Zhong Ying from knowing the source of some of the collections.

Zhong Ying, who was supposed to be guided around, became the new narrator.

He went back to the showcase that he had seen once, and pointed to the collection that had been quietly placed inside for an unknown number of years.

——Tang Dynasty Cui’s White Porcelain Plate, bought back by Bellou at a French auction house in 1967.

"The Shen family also has the same collection records for these white porcelain plates. They are all silver-like, the enamel is better than snow, and the cursive character 'Cui' is engraved on the soles of the feet. Missing."

——A complete set of carved glazed tea utensils from the Ming Dynasty, acquired by Bellew from a private collector in 1971.

"The glazed tea set in the showcase, and the three matching tea bowls happen to be sculptures of pine, bamboo, and plum, which are very similar to Mr. Shen's beloved Suihan Sanyou medicine jade tea set. It is a pity that after 1942, the tea set was lost, and he could no longer While playing the piano, I sipped tea from my favorite bamboo-patterned jade cup."

——Calligraphy and painting silk from the Qing Dynasty, Bellew bought it back at an Italian auction house in 1955.

"These calligraphy, paintings and silk silks from the Qing Dynasty seem to be very well preserved. Unfortunately, the Shen family's collection is not as lucky as them. Only the butler's account book is left. Here are eight pieces of calligraphy, painting and silk, which were seized by foreigners and will be destroyed."

"Obtained by foreigners..."

Li Jinqiu, who had been silent all this time, stared at the beautiful landscape paintings and calligraphy, dumbfounded, "It seems that this museum is a den of filth!"

Zhou Juntong turned pale upon hearing this.

The assistant was furious, "What do you mean?"

Li Jinqiu spread his hands and tilted his head, expressing that it was meaningless.

And Zhong Ying raised his hand and tapped on the glass window, and replied in a leisurely tone: "It's all about thinking about things. Mr. Shen just lost a batch of things owned by the Bellu Museum."

"I think it's too coincidental and very rare, so I tell everyone to hear it, that's all."

He did not have any clear evidence to prove that these cultural relics, which were not unique, originally belonged to the Shen family.

But he was very sure that Shen Ling would not give so many antiques to Bellu who had no impression.

The assistant was helpless, unable to grasp Zhong Ying's tricks, and angrily reprimanded Zhou Juntong.

"You are really not professional enough, and you have not fulfilled your responsibilities as a commentator at all..."

"Because, I don't think there is any need to continue explaining!"

Zhou Juntong interrupted him with an unprecedented firmness in his voice.

"Mr. Zhong knows better than any of us where and how these cultural relics came from. I believe everything he said, and I really want to know the questions he raised—"

"Why is the item in the Bellu Museum exactly the item lost and damaged by Shen Ling?"

"Bullshit!"

The assistant's face was livid, and he pointed at Zhou Juntong, "What evidence do you have that these things belong to Shen Ling?"

"Even if it is proved that they belong to Shen Ling, how dare you say that they were not given to Mr. Bellu by Shen Ling himself, and that they were shamelessly written in the family account book as lost or damaged, so as not to be held accountable by the family?"

Gritting his teeth in anger, he almost wanted to settle the score with the curator of the Bellou Museum immediately.

"I obviously asked the curator to choose a commentator who respects Mr. Bellew!"

Suddenly, Zhou Juntong was enraged, raised his voice, and reminded him loudly, "Sir, I am indeed the person who admires Bellu the most in the museum!"

Her high-pitched voice shocked the assistant, and even Zhong Ying and Li Jinqiu looked at her in surprise.

Zhou Juntong said with a serious expression: "My respect, admiration, and gratitude to Mr. Bellou have never diminished since I studied cultural relics restoration to my internship in the museum, and my understanding of cultural relics has increased day by day."

"I have written a paper with a length of [-] words on the protection of Chinese cultural relics by the Italians. I took the Harrison Bellew Museum as an example and thanked Mr. Bellew for his contribution."

"I also host and plan the celebration of Mr. Bellou's cultural relics protection and restoration major at the University of Florence every year on his birthday, and send him blessings and pray for his health and longevity."

Zhou Juntong has done everything he can to express his admiration and respect for a foreign old man whom he respects.

All her actions are based on the sincerity of a cultural relic restorer to the cultural relic protectors, and she firmly believes in the friendship between Italian businessmen and Chinese pianists during the war.

At this moment, recalling these foolish sacrifices, her eyes flushed with shame, and she clenched her hands tightly.

"However, this is all based on the fact that he is an upright protector of cultural relics."

Zhou Juntong's voice gradually trembled, unable to suppress the grief of being deceived, "Then, I returned to China, I heard the truth, and I checked the records."

"The Bello Museum record is full of questions, doubts are everywhere," she said.

She asked: "As Mr. Bellou's loyal assistant, can you tell me where Mr. Bellou took back the ten-stringed qin? Can you tell me how the picture scrolls, bronzes, silks, and porcelains here came to be?" Is it from the museum?"

Li Jinqiu had never heard Zhou Juntong question a stranger with a trembling voice while holding back his tears.

Her eyes were red, like a crybaby who didn't grow up, but she protested strongly——

"I respect Mr. Bellou. But my respect will not be given to a thief!"

Her voice was clear enough to attract countless surprised eyes.

Even Li Jinqiu, as if he didn't know his sister, stretched out his hand to protect her, and patted her shoulder gently.

The atmosphere became awkward and silent, and the curious gazes from around were accompanied by murmurs, as if they wanted to know why she was blaming the guy in front of her.

Zhong Ying stood aside, surprised by Zhou Juntong's toughness, and also understood her collapse at this time.

No one can accept it in peace, and there are irreparable rifts in the people who regard it as faith in their hearts.

When the false stalwart image collapses, at that moment, it is not only the demise of the sanctimonious, but also the severe damage and reshaping of the followers' souls.

Zhong Ying once refuted Zhou Juntong sharply, telling her that the person you admire is a thief, and the person you respect is a shameless predator.

At this time, he felt that he was cruel.

He was so cruel that he couldn't help comforting him: "This person is just an assistant, and he is also doing things according to Belu's orders. I understand your sadness and pain, but think about the best, at least, you have protected these cultural relics."

"Mr. Zhong..."

Zhou Juntong looked at Zhong Ying with tears in his eyes, his expression was extremely surprised, as if he couldn't think that a cold and heartless person would say such gentle words.

Zhong Ying smiled, not caring about Zhou Juntong's misunderstanding of him.

He said seriously: "I'm very glad that you can wake up in time. In fact, when you told me in Qingling Lake Museum that you will accompany the cultural relics of Qingling Lake Museum for a lifetime, I admired you very much."

"Maybe Bellou has done many wrong things in his life, but it is a good thing that he established a museum and trained excellent and kind cultural relic restorers like you."

Li Jinqiu frowned, completely disapproving of Zhong Ying's general complaint: "Stop praising her."

He is always strict with his younger sister, "I started crying when I cursed, what does it look like. Look at brother."

Zhou Juntong's sadness and emotion will always be interrupted by a ruthless straight man.

She raised her hand angrily to give Li Jinqiu a hit, but before she could hit anyone, she saw him walking in front of the assistant.

Li Jinqiu was a lot taller than the assistant, and the way he raised his chin was extremely arrogant, forcing the other side to take half a step back secretly.

He smiled contemptuously, raised his eyebrows and said sarcastically: "Tell the old guy, we don't take this kind of trick, his brainwashing methods are outdated, let's change it."

The assistant was so angry at his arrogance that he shouted at the staff of the museum before reporting to Bellou:

"Open the viewing room for me!"

Bello Museum has a very spacious viewing room.

It is used to play a documentary carefully produced by the Belou family, showing the past and present of the cultural relics in an all-round way, as well as their new life in the museum.

Zhong Ying, Li Jinqiu and Zhou Juntong won the best viewing positions in the front row.

During the taming journey of two people, there was a poor younger sister with red eyes, holding back the crying, sobbing and wiping away the tears.

On the dimly lit, bright and clear widescreen is—

"Belo and China"

This documentary starring Harrison Bellew starts from the cruelty of the Anti-Japanese War and tells the story of an Italian who traveled thousands of miles to China to protect cultural relics.

He protested the Japanese invasion, rescued Chinese cultural relics, established the Bello Museum, invited the University of Florence to form an expert group, and warmly welcomed Chinese students to join the museum.

Everything is exactly the same as what Zhou Juntong said.

However, this is not an objective record, but flattering praise.

To praise an Italian, he traveled to China through mountains and rivers, and at a glance, he decided to devote his whole life to Chinese cultural relics, and finally achieved the future of Chinese cultural relics.

Standing in front of the camera, Bellou said with pale hair and clear words: "I love Chinese culture, and I love Chinese music even more, because when I first went to China, my friend used a guqin, which made me fall in love with it. Everything in China."

Time flies, the string that helped him get a bosom friend in China not only changed his fate, but also sent the piano back to him with the help of fate.

When the documentary was filmed, Bellou was not yet old enough to take a wheelchair, and Shixian Yayun was still being repaired, and they were also dilapidated.

He looked at the camera with a smile, pointed at the dark rotten wood being restored, and said proudly:

"My fate with China begins with this piano. It may be difficult for you to imagine why I build the best musical theater in Italy and why I fund gifted music students. It is not because I am kind and noble. It's because—"

"I promised this Chinese friend who died young that I would find his most cherished guqin for him, build the best theater for him in Italy, and make him the most popular musician in Italy and even in Europe. "

His eyes were kind and sad, and he slowly closed his eyes, as if he could not bear the weight of memories.

"I have to keep my promises so that my soul can find peace."

The recorder repeatedly asked for the name of the Chinese friend, but Bellou kept silent as if he was afraid of touching something sad.

Until the end of "Belo and China", Shen Ling's name did not appear in the whole film.

But he is everywhere with those cultural relics and that ten-string elegant rhyme.

Sitting in the viewing room, Zhong Ying didn't feel any transnational friendship or internationalism, but only felt the hypocrisy and vanity of Mr. Bellou.

Bellew may be telling the truth.

Because of the ten-stringed instrument, he changed his views on music, started to build theaters, funded students, and invited Chinese performers to Italy to hold concerts.

But he did all this not because he became a good person, but because he had a disturbed conscience and frequently looked for a kind of tranquility.

The movie viewing room reverberated with gentle Guqin music as the ending song of "Belo and China".

However, the people who watched the documentary did not say a word, even Zhou Juntong calmed down, his face was expressionless.

"Look, how great Mr. Bellou is."

The assistant took the initiative to try to use the documentary to impress the three backward elements.

"Without him, the ten-stringed qin would not be what it is now, let alone the intact cultural relics in this museum."

"They will shatter under the iron heel of war and be burned by the flames of war. Mr. Bellou is their savior, why do you still hate a kind and great person so much?"

Li Jinqiu laughed dryly, and said in a mechanical tone: "Thank you for his dedication, but I don't think a Chinese would be comfortable watching such a documentary. Your shooting angles are not objective enough at all, and you have been exporting what you think is correct. I find it annoying."

"...I don't like documentaries like this either."

Zhou Juntong has watched this documentary many times, and the emotion and gratitude he once felt are gone, leaving only sadness.

"Mr. Bellou is indeed great, but greatness should not be based on stealing."

The assistant felt that the two brothers and sisters were simply stubborn.

Especially Zhou Juntong!

As a super admirer of Bellou, his position is so unsteady!

He was about to arrange for the staff to make another Bello Museum documentary when he heard Zhong Ying's voice.

"Sir, do you think this is greatness?"

"Of course!"

The assistant was overjoyed, thinking that Zhong Ying finally felt Bellu's efforts from the documentary.

Unexpectedly, Zhong Ying's voice was full of confusion, and he continued to ask full of curiosity: "Then do you think that Beilu took the cultural relics out of China and carefully protected them, which saved the cultural fire and continued the hope of China?"

"Yes."

The assistant thought he had finally found a weakness that could be broken through, so he answered him kindly.

"After all, China was weak and precarious at that time. Even an outstanding musician like Mr. Shen was taken away by the Japanese, which shows that the society at that time had no ability to protect the wealth of human civilization."

"Of course Mr. Bellew is saving your culture!"

Zhong Ying laughed softly and got the expected answer.

He asked again: "If a powerful alien civilization comes to Italy and finds that Italian society is backward and crimes are increasing, it is likely to perish. Therefore, the alien civilization decides to rob Italy's property and return to the home planet. Established the best museum in Italy, exhibiting looted things, to continue Italian civilization..."

He gave an interesting example and asked with a smile: "So, as an Italian, when you are lucky enough to visit this museum, would you thank them from the bottom of your heart?"

The assistant felt that there was something in his words, full of traps and insults, and immediately retorted:

"This is different from Mr. Bellou's protection of cultural relics."

"Same."

Zhong Ying said affirmatively, "Because they all think that plundering is protection, and building a museum is kindness, and they maintain the arrogance of the superiors self-righteously, and despise the humble inferiors in their eyes."

"Sir, they are exactly alike."

Zhong Ying stood up and looked directly at the speechless assistant.

There is no doubt that the other party is a dedicated staff member who devoted himself to his boss, but did not realize that he was helping the evildoers, and he did not realize that there was something wrong with the usual Western thinking.

Zhong Ying raised his finger and pointed to the screen that stopped playing, and said, "You have also seen the guqin that Bellu thanked, but he kept the object he thanked in the collection room for almost 80 years."

He looked at the assistant curiously, his voice was gentle and confused like a student eager to learn, "Can you imagine yourself staying in that place for 80 years?"

"The surroundings are closed and secret, no one knows, like a cage specially built for it, no one responds to its voice, and it will never leave there."

"That's just a piano!"

The assistant was angry, and felt that it was unreasonable for Zhong Ying to compare Qin with people.

He reminded Zhong Ying, "Don't you Chinese treat musical instruments like this? What's wrong with hanging them up and putting them on the table?"

"We hang them, but we also play them."

"We put them, and we will also take them out of the shabby room, bathe in the sun, and fulfill the mission of the instrument at the beginning of its birth."

"The Chinese and Guqin know each other and cherish each other. They are friends who are equal forever, not a high-ranking slave owner and a humble slave."

Zhong Ying pointed out the difference in the nature of Guqin between Bellu and the pianist. His expression was always calm, but his tone was resonant.

"The qin was born to make sounds and play music, but Bellou shut it in a place that only he knows and appreciates, making it a flashy decoration."

"False theory! Fallacy!"

The assistant retorted loudly and stomped his feet angrily, "If it weren't for Mr. Bellou, those cultural relics and that piano you cherished would have been burned in the flames of war long ago!"

He raised his hand and pointed at Zhong Ying angrily, "Would you rather the Japanese snatch them?"

"Why do we have to make a choice between the Japanese predators and the Italian predators?"

Zhong Ying looked at the assistant with pity and sympathy, they always went from one extreme to the other.

"Using one's will to forcibly determine the ownership of other people's property, territory, and even life is an unconcealed invasion and plunder."

Just because he doesn't recognize the Japanese invaders doesn't mean he will recognize the Italian plunderers.

"What Harrison Bellew did was no different from what the Japanese invaders did back then."

The assistant gritted his teeth, his face flushed, "I won't allow you to equate the honorable Mr. Bellou with the shameless invader."

"Okay, then I'll try another persuasion."

In the face of his rage, Zhong Ying has learned to remain calm.

As for the rogue's sophistries, he only needs to present factual evidence to tear their hypocritical faces to pieces.

"I am very satisfied with my trip to the museum today. Because many cultural relics I saw confirmed my guess about the whereabouts of the Shen family's lost collection."

Zhong Ying smiled easily, not feeling angry at these people's brazen sophistry.

"Please remember to tell your respected Mr. Bellou exactly what I will say later——"

His eyes were shining, and his pronunciation was clear and slow, ensuring that the other party could hear him clearly.

"I hope that everyone can have the opportunity to see the Chinese letters that Bellou hid in the collection room. Because any Chinese, anyone who can understand Chinese, will not think that it is a letter that symbolizes friendship."

"That's a complaint from an owner against a robber."

"It is Mr. Shen's last regret before his death."

"Belou didn't kill with his own hands."

Zhong Ying's eyes were firm and he said decisively, "But he is the chief culprit who caused Mr. Shen's death!"