Xu Beiwu and Kuang Xiyin were also interested. The three of them went to Gengxin Hall together.

Gengxin Hall is a private museum opened by Kuang Xiyin in Chang'an, and it usually charges admission fees for public exhibitions. Needless to say, security measures, so many good things, what if something happens?

The backyard of Gengxin Hall is closed, with warehouses, tool rooms, and operation rooms for finishing and repairing antiques.

When the three of them arrived at the operation room, Kuang Xiyin found a master who was proficient in carpentry.

Sun Zhongyuan turned over the kang table and put it on the operating table, "You see, the table board is relatively thick, and it looks like there should be a gap in the middle." ”

"Don't worry, let me come. The carpenter picked up the tool and began to work on it.

Sure enough, under the tabletop, a embedded wooden board was pasted, but it was cleverly done, because around the four legs of the kang table, there were small boards, and the embedded parts were at the place where the boards fit and the tabletop. Moreover, the sticker and the table top are made of the same piece of wood, so there is no trace at all.

The carpenter master was very knowledgeable, and immediately packed up the tools and left the operation room after dismantling.

Sun Zhongyuan took out a thin oiled paper bag that was pressed very flat from inside, and when he opened the oiled paper bag, there was actually a pile of coarse linen paper inside!

This pile of coarse linen paper, which is about half a meter long and more than 20 centimeters wide, is yellow-brown like a withered leaf, and already looks a little brittle.

"The burlap paper of the Tang Dynasty?" Xu Beiwu said.

"Arhat statue?" Kuang Xiyin replied.

Sun Zhongyuan spread out these burlap papers one by one and placed them on the table, a total of sixteen sheets.

Portrait of Sixteen Arhats!

These sixteen Arhats are basically thick eyebrows and big eyes, with high noses and thick cheeks, and exaggerated faces. The fine brush and color, the painting is exquisite.

However, there is no inscription, and there is no seal.

For the three of them, it is not difficult to judge that it is the paper of the Tang Dynasty, the artistic style of the Tang Dynasty, or simply that this is the portrait of the Sixteen Arhats painted by the painters of the Tang Dynasty. However, without relevant texts and seals, it is indeed difficult to tell which painter it was from.

There are many Arhat statues in the Tang Dynasty, "Sixteen Arhats". These sixteen arhats are all well-documented figures, and they are all disciples of Shakyamuni.

It was only during the period of the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties that eighteen Arhats began to appear, which was actually from the sixteen Arhats plus two Venerables. In the Song Dynasty, the eighteen Arhats were prevalent, and they were the most common Arhat groups in the future.

Eighteen Arhats, in today's Buddha beads, bracelet products are also very common, such as olive core carving, double-sided eighteen Arhats, is the most common bracelet system.

From sixteen to eighteen, this is a manifestation of the secularization of China. Eighteen is an auspicious number in Huaxia, and it is a number preferred by the people. For example, eighteen martial arts, eighteen bachelors, eighteen marquis, and so on. In history, there have also been Shaolin Eighteen Arhats.

"I look, it's like Kankyu's style. Xu Beiwu looked at it for a while and said, "But Guan Xiu is a generation of famous artists, and the heirloom works should be silk, and painting on coarse linen paper seems to be a bit incomprehensible." ”

Guan Xiu is a monk and a famous painting monk. His life lasted from the end of the Tang Dynasty to Qianshu, and after entering Shu, he was named "Master of Zen Moon" by the lord of Qianshu.

Guan Xiu is good at writing poetry and painting, especially good at painting Arhats, and the Arhats he painted have a very high reputation in the history of Chinese painting.

There are different theories about Guan Xiu's authentic paintings, and "Sixteen Arhats" is his masterpiece, but the entire set of authentic works has never been found.

Huaxia once found a statue of Arhat painted on linen, and after many identifications, it was determined that it was genuine at the end of the Tang Dynasty. There is also one in the collection of the Wa Kingdom, but it is believed to be a copy of the Song Dynasty.

If these 16 arhat statues on coarse linen paper were really Guan Xiu's work, it would be a discovery that shocked the world.

However, it is simple to identify it as a work of the Tang Dynasty, and it would be troublesome to identify it as a work of Guan Xiu. Even the style of the Arhat portrait on this coarse linen paper is very similar to the style of Guan Xiu.

The Arhat statue of Guanxiu, in the overall image, at first glance, has a kind of weirdness. He is also a grandfather-level figure of the strange Arhat portrait.

If you look back at the historical background, it is not difficult to find the corresponding clues.

From the Northern and Southern Dynasties to the Sui and Tang dynasties, there were many movements to exterminate Buddhism. The more famous emperors include Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty Tuoba Tao, Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou Dynasty Yuwen Yong, and Tang Wuzong Li Yan.

Tuoba Tao believed that Buddhism was "a false fantasy in Xirong" and "a disaster for the world"; Yu Wenyong believed that "the rule of the country is not in Futu" and "Qiliang has a temple and is lost"; and during Li Yan's reign, there was a "Huichang Fa disaster."

Therefore, the image of the Arhat actually reflects a state of persecution and suffering, and the Arhat describes it as withered and distorted, like an old survivor, with the vicissitudes of time and painful memories.

It is precisely this image that has produced a unique artistic style, reaching a height that is difficult for later generations to reach, creating a style of painting that makes him a generation of grandmasters.

"This kang table is from the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. In fact, the Qing Dynasty particularly respected Buddhism, but at the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, the trend of thought changed, and it is understandable that this person hid a pile of Buddha statues and was afraid of being destroyed. Sun Zhongyuan said, "Whether it is Guan Xiu's work or not, a group of sixteen Arhat statues in the Tang Dynasty are priceless things." ”

Kuang Xiyin nodded, "This, since there is no problem with the way, it can actually be exhibited in Gengxin Hall." ”

Xu Beiwu lit a cigarette and took a few deep breaths, "Why can't it be exhibited in the Celestial Planetarium?"

Kwong Xiyin glanced at him, "What do you mean?"

"Since we want to revitalize the Astronomical Tower, did we open a store like the Celestial Observatory back then, and now, why can't we open a Celestial Observatory Antique City? And this group of Arhat statues is bound to attract the attention of all parties. At the beginning of the opening, the exhibition welcomes guests, which is a glorious opening!"

"Such a high profile?" Sun Zhongyuan hesitated slightly.

"Yes! Kuang Xiyin slapped his face, "What we are doing is already above board, why don't we be high-profile? From now on, Tianxianglou is no longer like in the past, just a hidden wealthy family in the rivers and lakes, and it is still a public and well-known golden signboard!"

Xu Beiwu nodded, "When Lao Sui and Lao Luo come, let's plan in detail where this head office will open!"

Sun Zhongyuan didn't think about it, and missed a group of sixteen Arhat pictures of the Tang Dynasty, which made Xu Beiwu and Kuang Xiyin have such an idea!

However, after taking a closer look, he can also understand that Xu Beiwu and Kuang Xiyin must have been pondering this matter for a long time, and they have considered the slightest overlapping consideration, and these sixteen Arhat diagrams are just an opportunity.