At the end of the valley, a deep rumble echoed through the forest. It was a clear midday, with a bright blue sky and no clouds in sight, so why was there suddenly thunder? Everyone felt a sense of unease. After finally escaping the ancient tomb, what new trouble was brewing?
Listening closely, the sound didn’t quite resemble thunder. It grew louder, sounding more like a massive beast charging toward the valley, its heavy footsteps crashing into the trees. At first, it seemed like an endless roar, mixed with the occasional barking of dogs.
I heard the barking and realized there were only five large hunting dogs lying on the ground; the three giant mastiffs were nowhere to be seen. We had been so exhausted earlier that we hadn’t paid attention to the dogs. Perhaps they had taken turns hunting since we had been gone for so long. What kind of wild beast could make such a commotion?
Yingzi listened for a moment and laughed, saying it was nothing to worry about; they were just chasing wild boars. Let’s head up the hillside to watch the excitement—we’ll be able to enjoy some wild boar meat soon!
We climbed halfway up the slope and could already see the trees in the forest being knocked down one by one. The hunting dogs could no longer stay still; they silently spread out in a fan shape, ready to block the wild boars’ escape route in the valley.
At the mouth of the valley, a red pine tree snapped with a loud crack, and out charged a massive wild boar. If it weren’t for its lack of a long snout, I might have mistaken it for a small elephant. Weighing over a thousand pounds, its long, dark bristles stood tall, and its tusks curved upward like two daggers. These tusks were not only a proud symbol of its masculinity but also marked it as the king of wild boars in the forest. With its round, hefty body and short, thick legs, it dashed into the valley like a whirlwind.
Behind the wild boar, three giant mastiffs followed at a steady pace. They didn’t rush in to attack but kept a safe distance, forming a line as they entered the Wild Man Valley.
The wild boar’s skin was as tough as a rhinoceros’s. While lounging in the forest, it would rub its large body against the pine trees, scratching itself and coating its skin with pine resin to ward off mosquitoes. In the deep mountains during summer, the mosquitoes were as big as small birds. There’s a saying in the mountains: “Three mosquitoes can make a dish,” which is no exaggeration. Even the old yellow cattle couldn’t withstand the bites of these giant mosquitoes, but the wild boar was unbothered. Its skin was like armor, impervious to bites. With its two tusks and massive weight, the wild boar was a formidable presence in the forest, feared by tigers, bears, and leopards.
However, the mastiffs trained by hunters had their own tricks for dealing with wild boars. The mastiffs were as big as calves, but still smaller than this massive wild boar. The three mastiffs aimed to drive the boar deeper into the valley before taking it down, as the dense trees in the forest made it hard to maneuver, and the boar charged like a tank.
In the Wild Man Valley, the layer of fallen leaves was deep. Before the wild boar could make it halfway, its weight caused its legs to sink into the leaves. The three mastiffs surrounded it, taking turns to bite and wear it down, while the five hunting dogs stayed on the outskirts, too timid to compete with the mastiffs, only barking encouragement from the sidelines.
Frustrated and angry, the wild boar struggled clumsily in the leaves, using all its strength to leap upward, managing to pull its legs free.
The mastiffs were waiting for this moment. As the boar reached its highest point, the largest mastiff leaped up like a cannonball, crashing into the wild boar. The force and angle of the impact were perfect, flipping the boar onto its back, belly up, landing on the deep, soft pile of dead leaves.
The other two mastiffs, waiting for their chance, pounced on the wild boar, tearing into its belly. The belly and rear were the boar’s only weak spots; once exposed to the enemy, it was doomed, especially against the fierce and swift mastiffs. In just three or four seconds, the wild boar’s insides were ripped out.
Seeing the wild boar defeated, the three of us slowly made our way down the slope. Fatty and I were amazed at how well the three mastiffs worked together, using the terrain to their advantage. We couldn’t help but want to pat the mastiffs on the head in praise, grinning as we called them over.
To my surprise, the mastiffs and hunting dogs bypassed us and gathered around Yingzi. She took out some jerky to feed them, and the big dogs wagged their tails happily, eager to please their owner.
Fatty and I exchanged glances, and I shook my head with a sigh.
Fatty went back to the tent to grab a knife, a pickaxe, and a hunting rifle before returning to the valley. He helped Yingzi cut up the wild boar while I took the rifle and two big dogs to find a spot down the slope to bury the two children bodies, so they wouldn’t cause us any more trouble.
Yingzi asked, “Brother Hu, are you hungry? Why don’t we eat something first before we go?”
I replied, “No need. Good food is worth the wait. I can hold off on eating for a bit. I’d rather not wait until nightfall to bury the dead; that would be a bit creepy.”
I let the two big dogs drag the bodies wrapped in a yellow military coat to a spot at the mountain’s edge facing the grassland, where I dug a deep pit. I had left my entrenching tool in the ancient tomb, so digging with the pickaxe was quite laborious. The sun was starting to set, and after digging just over a meter deep, I was already sweating profusely, my stomach rumbling.
Looking at the pit, I thought it was deep enough. After all, they were just kids; there was no need to bury them too deep. Their bodies were filled with mercury, so I didn’t have to worry about insects or rodents.
I carefully took the two children out of the military coat and wrapped them again neatly in two other coats, placing them side by side in the pit. I clasped my hands together and bowed twice, saying, “Dear little friends from ancient times, I’m sorry you didn’t get to live in a civilized and democratic society filled with sunshine. You missed out on the care of society, but this was all destined to be. You don’t need to cling too tightly to this life. Life has its end, and what is lost need not be forgotten. All the hardships we face are part of fate. After death, one should rest in peace; those who cannot find peace in the earth become zombies. Our conditions are limited; we have no coffins to lay you in, nor incense to honor you. I promise to burn more paper money for you when I return. I hope you find your way to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and don’t come back to trouble us. We are busy with our work, and this is all we can do for you. Greed and dissatisfaction are not the traits of good children.”
After saying this, I, along with the two big dogs, began to fill the pit with dirt. A few handfuls of soil were all it took to bury the two unfortunate children. As I looked back toward the horizon, the setting sun resembled blood, and my heart was filled with countless emotions.
It was getting late, and Yingzi called me back from a distance. I led the hunting dogs back to our campsite on the hillside. Fatty had moved a large stone to block the ventilation hole where the giant bat had flown out to attack the horses. The wild boar meat was roasting over the fire, and there was a pot of soup made with pig offal, mushrooms, and wood ear fungus. The aroma of pine mixed with the smell of meat hit my face, and I couldn’t wait to rush over and cut a piece of meat to shove into my mouth.
After we finished eating, we sipped the tea Yingzi had brewed and discussed how to get back. Without the horses to carry our luggage, returning to Ganggang Camp wouldn’t be easy. We couldn’t move the pots, bowls, or tents, and the animal skins we had hunted along the way were too much to carry. The loss would be significant. Finally, Yingzi came up with a plan: she suggested sending the two dogs back to deliver a message, asking the people in the village to organize a horse team to come and dig out the Kwantung Army’s fortress. With so many good things here, it would be a waste not to take them. Plus, the dogs were the best guides; they could lead the villagers here. We would find a safe place nearby to stay until everyone arrived, and then we could all return together with the good stuff.
At this point, we had no other choice. Fatty didn’t seem too concerned about these matters; he pulled out the two jade discs to examine them again. I scolded him, “You really have no ambition, waiting for dawn while being poor. Don’t keep those jade discs with you; if you look at them a hundred times a day, you might lose them. Leave them with me for safekeeping.”
Fatty held the jade discs up to my face, his expression filled with surprise and suspicion. “Old Hu, is this the pair we got from the tomb? Look closely; is there something off about them?”
Since we had obtained the jade discs in the tomb, I hadn’t had the chance to examine them closely. Fatty, acting all dramatic, handed them to me. “Why has the color changed?” I took the two jade discs from him to inspect them carefully.
The two jade discs were carved into shapes resembling moths, complete with intricate details that made them look lifelike. The surfaces were adorned with strange animal patterns that didn’t seem to represent any real creatures. They were plump, with bodies reminiscent of thin lions and scaleless dragons, featuring several claws and a curled tail. Overall, the designs were bizarre; perhaps they were not animals at all, but decorative patterns resembling clouds or waves.
The craftsmanship of the patterns was not as refined as the carving of the shapes; they were roughly sketched with just a few strokes. However, despite their roughness, they possessed a simple yet vivid charm. Sometimes, simplicity can be a form of beauty.
It was truly strange. I remembered that when we first took the jade discs out of the coffin in the ancient tomb, they were a deep green. However, when we looked at them inside the Kwantung Army’s fortress, they appeared a light yellow. Now, they were a deep yellow, having changed colors several times in just one day. What was going on? Was there such a thing as color-changing jade? We knew nothing about antiques, and it seemed we would have to return to Beijing to consult with Big Gold Tooth for some insight.
Reflecting on this expedition, it had not gone smoothly. Not only was the journey arduous, but the ancient tomb in Wild Man Valley turned out to be a general’s tomb, and we were shocked to find so few burial items inside. The only potentially valuable item was this pair of jade discs, and we had nearly lost our lives trying to retrieve them. It was truly a struggle that could not be adequately described; it was as if we were trying to move mountains and cross seas, and the dangers we faced were like walking on ice at the edge of a precipice. If the appraisal revealed they weren’t worth much, I might as well find a place to end it all.
This experience taught me a lesson: not all noble tombs contain a wealth of valuable burial goods. It’s essential to understand the historical and cultural background of ancient tombs and to acquire as much knowledge about antique appraisal as possible. Only then can we aim accurately and avoid returning empty-handed.
Fatty, on the other hand, seemed quite confident. He bet me that this pair of jade discs would be worth at least twenty to thirty thousand yuan. Who knows, they might even be national treasures! If that were the case, we wouldn’t sell them to the Hong Kong merchants or Taiwanese; we would donate them directly to the Palace Museum. The government would be so pleased that they might reward us with eighty to a hundred thousand yuan, and maybe even give us a couple of apartments in Beijing. We could wear big red flowers and go around the country giving speeches. When we finished, all the teary-eyed female university students in the audience would rush up to present us with flowers and love letters.
I told Fatty to stop dreaming about attending meetings. It would be a miracle if we didn’t end up in a mud hut instead. However, if what Fatty said was true and we could get thirty to fifty thousand, that would be a pleasant surprise. We hustled selling tapes all year and barely made three or four thousand. In a bad business year, after covering food and lodging, we hardly made any profit.
I hadn’t slept in two days. After filling my stomach, I chatted with Fatty and Yingzi for a bit before collapsing into sleep. With the hunting dogs on watch, I didn’t have to worry about wild animals attacking. I fell into a deep sleep, and in my dreams, I found myself back on a smoke-filled battlefield. The faces of my comrades filled the air above me, all young and without bodies. Their faces bled continuously, slowly floating up to the sky. I cried out and reached for them, but my limbs wouldn’t obey; I couldn’t move at all…
That night, nothing happened. The giant bats that usually roamed underground seemed to have vanished, perhaps frightened away by the gunfire, searching for new caves to settle in.
I didn’t wake up until noon. Yingzi had already sent three hunting dogs back with messages. Each dog had a small pouch tied around its neck containing a note written by Fatty, instructing the villagers to bring more people and tools, preferably some explosives, to help dig out the Kwantung Army’s fortress in Wild Man Valley.
For lunch, we had some wild boar meat. I moved our tent and supplies to a sheltered spot near the valley entrance, setting up the tent behind a large rock. This location was at the edge of the forest and grassland, making it easy for the villagers to find us when they arrived.
Afterward, Yingzi took the dogs into the woods to gather wild vegetables while I dug some earth and stones to create a fire pit. I set a pot on the fire to boil water. We had brought some flour, and Fatty took charge of making dumplings filled with pork to celebrate our initial victory. Although this time was more thrilling than dangerous, at least none of us had encountered any major mishaps, and we had some gains, especially with the abundance of supplies in the Kwantung Army’s fortress, which would greatly benefit the villagers back home. For that, it was worth raising a glass or two.
Days passed as we hunted with the dogs, and I felt like I was becoming a mountain hunter myself. Finally, the villagers arrived, a total of over forty people led by the village secretary and the accountant. Since the men were working at Niuxin Mountain, this group consisted mostly of women, girls, and young boys. The village didn’t have many horses—no more than ten. Hearing about the large haul, they brought along mules and donkeys, along with their own hunting dogs, creating quite a commotion as they entered the Heifengkou.
Everyone was eager to get started, but I suggested we take a day to rest after their long journey. We should regain our strength before diving into work. Moreover, we couldn’t just rush in blindly. Having been a combat engineer, I volunteered to assign tasks. We needed to use strategic planning and act methodically, rather than behaving like a disorganized mob.
The crowd was noisy and excited, whispering and chattering, drowning out my voice. No one could hear me clearly, and in the end, it was the village secretary who had to shout to get their attention: “Everyone, quiet down! Listen to commander Hu! What he says is what I say, and it’s what the organization says. We’re able to collect these spoils from the little devils thanks to them and Yingzi! We’ll do exactly as they say!”
I repeated my instructions, telling everyone to set up the tents and cook, then I discussed with the secretary and the accountant. Without explosives, digging into the underground fortress wouldn’t be too difficult. We could start from the general’s tomb, which was very close to the passage leading to the fortress. With five people, we could clear the collapsed tomb chamber in less than half a day. However, we needed to be prepared for wild animals inside the fortress, as creatures living underground are afraid of fire. We would need plenty of torches. It was crucial to emphasize that once we entered, no one should act independently. We couldn’t take any weapons; we could only take necessary supplies like military coats, Japanese boots, blankets, generators, and cables. We would take as much as we could carry, and once we were done, we would seal the fortress again without leaking any information.
The secretary patted his chest and assured me, “Don’t worry. As long as everyone takes something, their mouths will be tightly shut. Besides, our village is so remote that no outsiders come here all year. This time, we’ll make a fortune quietly.”
That evening, we cooked and set up camp. The next morning, I divided the forty or so women and children into four groups. The first group consisted of the youngest, led by Yingzi, who would go hunting in the mountains. The second group was the oldest, led by the accountant, who would stay at the camp to cook for everyone. Fatty and I each took a group of strong young people, taking turns to dig at the collapsed general’s tomb, with the secretary overseeing the operation.
The villagers brought a lot of tools—shovels, pickaxes, and even a few completely useless hoes. I divided my group of ten into two teams: one team would dig out the collapsed earth and tiles, while the other would transport the excavated soil and stones. The work progressed smoothly and efficiently.
After a busy day, we finally wrapped up in the evening.
The next morning, as soon as the sun rose, we lit our pine oil torches. More than twenty of us led a few mules and horses through the passage we had expanded from the general’s tomb, entering the underground fortress. At the iron door of the storage area, the signs of a struggle were still evident. The ancient corpse had been torn apart, and there were several bodies of Megatheriums, their blood dried to a dark red. Seeing these sights again sent a chill down my spine.
There was no longer any danger here, and with plenty of torches—pine oil torches that burned for a long time and were hard to extinguish even in the wind—any fierce animals lurking in the underground fortress would be too afraid to approach the light.
The secretary was overjoyed to see so many Japanese supplies, far exceeding his earlier optimistic estimates. He quickly called everyone to gather the spoils, loading bundles of military coats, shoes, rain covers, dry batteries, and field rations onto the backs of the mules and horses, transporting them out one by one.
In the remote mountain village, these industrial products were in high demand. Everyone rushed to help, shouting encouragement to one another, as if we had returned to the era of the Great Leap Forward.
Yingzi and I led a few people to search the other side of the passage. According to the map, there was a larger warehouse over there, and it wasn’t difficult to find.
The warehouse door was tightly shut, and we had to find a horse to pull it open. Once inside, everyone was stunned. Row after row of artillery lined the walls—mountain guns, field guns, Type 91 howitzers, 60mm mortars, and a mountain of ammunition boxes that seemed to stretch endlessly.
It appeared that these cannons were prepared for mobile warfare. The Japanese army was divided into six parts: the homeland army, stationed in the four main islands of Japan, including the colonies of Taiwan and Korea; the Chinese expeditionary force, which invaded the Chinese mainland; the southern army, which fought in Southeast Asia and Australia; plus the navy, air force, and the Kwantung Army stationed in Manchuria, making up a total of six military districts.
Among them, the Kwantung Army was the most favored by the Emperor and the General Staff, known as the elite of the elite. The Japanese valued the three northeastern provinces of China more than their own land, seeing it as strategically important and rich in resources, with forests and minerals in abundance. They could launch attacks into the interior at any time. Long ago, Japan had a famous document called the Tanaka Memorial, which expressed their covetousness for Northeast China. Even during World War II, the Tanaka Plan emerged, indicating that they would abandon their homeland but not Manchuria, highlighting their greed for the region.
Thus, the Kwantung Army’s supplies and equipment were among the best in the Japanese army, rivaled only by the navy’s Combined Fleet. However, these militaristic ambitions had long since become a joke in the face of history. We had no reason to be polite to the Kwantung Army; they hadn’t been polite to us either. Everyone rolled up their sleeves, eager to haul everything back.
I reminded them to be careful with the torches and not to get too close to the ammunition boxes. If they exploded, no one would escape; we would all be buried alive. Behind countless cannons, more large wooden crates bore the red steel stamp of Kida Heavy Industries. When pried open, they contained small generators, but they were too heavy to lift; the horses couldn’t carry them. We could only slowly disassemble them and take the parts back piece by piece.
We spent the entire day moving supplies from the underground fortress, and we had barely managed to extract a fraction of what was there. The accountant was busy counting, realizing that we had struck it rich. We wouldn’t be able to use it all ourselves, and we could sell the excess for a good price.
During dinner, the secretary approached me. He calculated that if we continued this way, we would never finish. The horse team couldn’t carry so many supplies, and with autumn approaching, if we left a group behind to guard the place while another group returned to the village, the mountain roads would be difficult to navigate. It would take more than half a month to make two trips, and with heavy snow, the mountains would soon be impassable. He suggested that we bury the entrance to the fortress for now, return to the village, and come back in the spring to continue our work.
I thought about it and realized that we had been in the mountains for over a month. It wasn’t practical to stay here any longer. We needed to return to Beijing to find Big Gold Tooth and sell the items we had unearthed. So, I agreed with the secretary’s suggestion. Fatty and I wouldn’t be able to come back with them, so I entrusted the secretary to burn some paper money for the two children who had been buried as sacrifices when spring arrived next year. I also reminded him to be careful not to touch the military supplies in the underground fortress; those were not for ordinary people to use.
To prepare for our departure the next day, nearly everyone stayed up all night, packing everything up. By the time we finished, the sun was already rising. Fortunately, despite the chaos, nothing else went wrong that night.
The journey back to Ganggang Camp was uneventful. The village felt like a festival; families had called back the men who were working at Niuxin Mountain, and every household was cooking pork with vermicelli.
The next day, Fatty and I didn’t want to linger any longer. We bid farewell to everyone and set off back to Beijing, which we hadn’t seen in a long time.
Once we got off the train, we headed straight to Panjiayuan. Big Gold Tooth was just as we remembered—unrefined and full of a commercial air, but he was actually a well-respected and experienced expert in Panjiayuan.
As soon as Big Gold Tooth saw us, he quickly set aside his current business and asked, “Gentlemen, where have you been for so long? I’ve missed you both!”
Fatty was eager to pull out the two jade discs to show him, wanting to find out how much they were worth. This had been bothering us for a while, and today we would finally get some answers.
Big Gold Tooth quickly gestured for us to keep the items hidden. “Let’s go to Dongsi restaurant instead. That hot pot restaurant we went to last time was nice and quiet. Panjiayuan is a mixed bag; there are too many people and too many eyes. It’s not a place for discussions. Just wait a moment while I finish this business, and then we’ll go.”
When Big Gold Tooth mentioned “Mingqi,” which is a synonym for burial items. The “ming” here doesn’t refer to Ming Dynasty antiques but specifically to items meant for burial, similar to terms like “antiques” or “collectibles.” These terms are used to mislead and sound more appealing, but they all relate back to “tomb raiding.” In earlier times, they were called “Gudong” or “Guwan,” referring to items left over from previous dynasties.
While we were talking, Big Gold Tooth completed a sale of an early Qing Dynasty “icebox” and a small Yungzheng official kiln teapot. The buyer was a foreigner accompanied by a Chinese translator. These items weren’t particularly valuable; they were just small-time goods. We didn’t see how much he sold them for, but I suspected the foreigner had probably been overcharged.
After finishing the sale, Big Gold Tooth counted the cash. “Three days without a sale, and today’s sale is enough for me to eat for three years. These foolish foreigners buy a couple of fakes and act like they’ve struck gold. They’ll be crying when they get back!” After counting the money, he turned to me and said, “Back in the year of Gengzi, when the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded Beijing, they took plenty of good stuff from us. Today, I’m just doing my part to balance the scales. Isn’t that right, Old Hu?”
We was asking him for a favor, so I quickly praised him, saying, “In ancient times, Huo Yuanjia defeated a Russian strongman in a duel. Now, we have Master Jin cleverly taking the unjust wealth from foreigners, truly bringing glory to our country! Amazing, really amazing!”
After packing up, we headed back to the small restaurant where we first met. Big Gold Tooth, perhaps having made a good amount today and feeling a bit high from our flattery, was drinking and reciting a couple of lines from Peking opera: “Oh, foreign slave, I wield my steel whip to strike you, wah yah yah yah yah.”
I looked around; it wasn’t mealtime, and the restaurant was quite empty. Only our table in the corner was occupied. The waiter was dozing off at the counter, and two staff members responsible for hot pot were chatting by the door, completely ignoring us.
I asked Fatty to take out the jade disc and show it to Big Gold Tooth. I also briefly explained our trip to Northeast China, focusing on the important details. Big Gold Tooth examined it closely, occasionally bringing it to his nose to sniff and licking it with his tongue, asking us about the ancient tomb.
Master Jin said, “I have a bit of knowledge about antique appraisal; it’s a family skill passed down. Today, I’ll show you both how it’s done. When it comes to this item, it’s like a traditional Chinese doctor taking a pulse, which involves observation, smelling, questioning, and touching. Especially for Mingqi (funerary objects), they differ from regular antiques. Family heirlooms are often handled and touched, so over time, they develop a sheen. Mingqi are excavated from tombs, and there are different types of tombs: new, old, waterlogged, dirty, and ancient.
First, we observe the style, craftsmanship, shape, and color. Next is the smell, which is crucial in identifying Mingqi. In the south, some people fake antiques by soaking replicas in sewage to make them look old. However, while the color may appear aged, the smell is different. It can be far worse than the stench of a corpse (referring to jade stuffed in ancient corpses to prevent decay). The appearance may look old, but a true expert can detect the difference by smell.
Then we ask about the item’s origin. The excavator will explain where it was found, allowing me to judge the truth of their words and spot any inconsistencies. This also helps assess the item’s authenticity and value. Finally, we touch it. This is a realm that can’t be fully explained. I’ve handled countless antiques, and my hands are connected to my heart. A true antique is a treasure; regardless of its size or weight, you can feel its significance just by holding it. This weight isn’t just about the physical heft; antiques have a spirit and a sense of history that can’t be replicated, no matter how well a fake is made.”
Fatty said, “Master, you’ve said so much, but I didn’t understand a word. Just tell us, how much are these two Mingqi worth?”
Big Gold Tooth laughed heartily, “Fatty, you’re in a hurry! I was just trying to help you both learn more about antique appraisal. In ancient tombs, there are hundreds or thousands of burial items. Without some knowledge in this area, it’ll be hard to make decisions in the future, right? Now, let’s talk about these two Mingqi. I can’t name them, but let’s call them: ‘Moth Body with Dragon Pattern Double Disc’ for now. As for their value…”
“Antiques don’t have fixed prices like sugar or coal, where you know exactly how much per pound. The value of antiques is quite flexible; as long as there’s a buyer who values the item, it can be worth a lot. Otherwise, no matter how good the item is, if no one wants it, it’s worthless.
“For these two, I’d estimate a base price of around 40,000 to 50,000 yuan in the domestic market. Of course, overseas, they would be worth much more. But right now, this is the market situation in China. When we sell, if we find the right buyer, we could ask for an even higher price, but that depends on the circumstances at the time.”
Big Gold Tooth then shared a story about a colleague of his who used to trade in antiques at Panjiayuan. This guy dealt in small items like roof tiles, arrowheads, old coins, seals, and snuff bottles. Eventually, he stopped that and started trading in mummies in Xinjiang, making a fortune.
Fatty exclaimed, “What the fxxk? How can mummies be worth anything?”
Big Gold Tooth replied, “Not quite. To us, they might look like zombie, but abroad, they’re treasures. In Beijing, a mummy from before the Ming Dynasty can sell for 20,000 yuan, but once it’s taken overseas, it can be worth 100,000—US dollars. Think about it; foreigners love these mysterious things. For example, if the American Museum of Natural History advertised a mysterious Eastern beauty mummy, it would create a sensation! This craze for mummies started with the discovery of a female mummy from the Loulan tombs last year. Even in China, if you set up an exhibition, people would line up to see it. That’s what we call a business opportunity.”
Fatty and I nodded in realization, understanding that there was much more to this than we thought. Learning that these two jade discs were worth around 50,000 yuan made us feel satisfied. The effort we put in wasn’t in vain.
I asked, “Master Jin, you mentioned these Mingqi are called something like ‘Moth Body with Dragon Pattern Double Disc’? Why such a complicated name?”
Big Gold Tooth filled my glass with beer, “Don’t rush; we have plenty of time. Let me explain. It’s called ‘Moth Body with Dragon Pattern Double Disc.’ In the antique trade, there’s a rule: if an item doesn’t have an official name, we name it based on its characteristics.
“Take the famous national treasure, the Zenghouyi Bell. It surely wasn’t called that back in the day, but what it was called is hard to verify now, so archaeologists named it based on the tomb it was found in and the type of instrument.
“This ‘Moth Body with Dragon Pattern Double Disc’ name describes its features. The ‘moth body’ refers to its shape, resembling a pair of moths. It was excavated from a general’s tomb from the Jin Dynasty. In ancient times, moths symbolized self-sacrifice; there’s a saying about moths flying into the flame, knowing they would die but still bravely diving in.
“Of course, we know now that moths can’t see well and are attracted to light, but ancient people revered the spirit of these large moths. They made accessories in the shape of moths to honor those who achieved military feats.
“Now, look at the patterns on it; that’s called ‘dragon pattern.’ It resembles a lion’s head and a tiger’s body, but it’s neither. A ‘Chi’ is a type of dragon without the double horns on its head. Items with chi patterns are believed to ward off evil. Recently, a Ming Dynasty prince’s tomb was excavated in Yunnan, which you might have heard of in stories about the Ming heroes. One of Zhu Yuanzhang’s generals, named Mu Ying, was buried there, and they found a pair of ‘Jade Double Chi Discs’ similar to your ‘Moth Body with Dragon Pattern Double Disc.’ In modern terms, it’s like a medal or military honor.
“Now, ‘double’ means it’s a pair. This type of accessory is worn on the sides of a helmet, so it must be a pair; having just one wouldn’t be valuable.
“What about ‘double disc’? That refers to its craftsmanship. The value of these ‘Moth Body with Dragon Pattern Double Discs’ mainly comes from their historical and aesthetic value; the material itself isn’t particularly precious. It’s made from a type of ‘Qian Huang Bian Se Yu’ from the Caucasus region, which isn’t exactly jade. However, if you insist on classifying it as jade, that’s also acceptable. Qian Huang is valuable now, but the material of these discs isn’t top quality; top-quality ones change into twelve different colors over twelve hours.
“Now, there are inscriptions on the side in seal script, which read ‘Guo Xiaoma.’ It seems this pair of discs belonged to him. He was a general during the late Jin Dynasty, known for his bravery. While defending the city, he shot down over two hundred Mongolian soldiers with a strong bow. He fought valiantly and ultimately died in battle, making him quite a notable figure. Legend has it that the Jin ruler paid a hefty sum of 100,000 taels of gold to retrieve his body from the Mongols.”
I felt like I was listening to a foreign language; I understood some parts, but not much. Fatty, on the other hand, had lost interest and was busy tossing slices of beef, lamb, chicken, vegetables, and mushrooms into the hot pot. After days of barbecued meat, he was eager to enjoy some hot pot and was focused solely on eating.
I asked Big Gold Tooth what items were currently popular in the antique market and could fetch high prices.
He replied, “Foreigners refer to our country as the land of porcelain. You could say porcelain is always in high demand in the antique market. The porcelain produced during China’s most glorious periods is unmatched, even by modern techniques. Have you heard of Chenghua porcelain? Especially the colored pieces from that era are highly sought after. They’re tiny, yet they can sell for 100,000 yuan at Panjiayuan without any haggling. You mentioned finding many porcelain and pottery items in the ancient tombs along the China-Mongolia border, but unfortunately, they weren’t excavated. Those should be from the late Northern Song Dynasty, which is a real shame. I hate to say it, but you might have missed a golden opportunity. The jars and pots you didn’t excavate are worth far more than this pair of ‘Moth Body with Dragon Pattern Double Discs.’ So, you two need to sharpen your eyes. Next time I go out to collect items in the countryside, you should come along to learn the ropes. You could easily make a few million from it.”
I nodded in agreement and said to Big Gold Tooth, “I actually have that in mind. I’m considering a bold plan for our next venture. We’re thinking of digging up a large tomb to solve our problems in one go. Working in the deep mountains is riskier than in the plains; even if we had several lives, we couldn’t withstand the strain. I’m planning to target a major tomb in a top feng shui site, but this isn’t a trivial matter. I need to prepare thoroughly beforehand; otherwise, I might not be able to handle it.”
Big Gold Tooth asked, “Master Hu, are you really aiming for something big? Have you chosen a target yet?”
I replied, “Not yet. I just had this sudden thought. Finding a large tomb in remote areas is extremely difficult, and right now, I feel like a farmer. Besides being able to read feng shui and find burial spots, I know nothing about historical or archaeological value assessment. I’m quite blind when it comes to choosing a target. I’m not in a rush to act soon; our last trip felt a bit hasty. We shouldn’t engage in such short-term endeavors anymore. However, I must say that even though we didn’t uncover anything significant in Northeast China, we did gain some experience and funds, so it can be considered a practice run for tomb raiding.”
Big Gold Tooth said, “Hearing you say that reminds me of something about Xinjiang…”
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