This week, we learned about forged bronzes, antiques, and collectors. We watched a video that explored the topic of Chinese bronzes vs. forged Chinese bronzes. The process of creating a forged bronze is complex. However, Dr. D pointed out that this isn’t how bronzes are usually made. Although most bronzes – that weren’t chiseled – must have been bland, it is interesting to wonder if this was due to a lack of willingness to work. At the end of the video, the forgery was sent to a lab to be tested in every way possible to see how convincing the forgery was but the machines testing the bronze determined that this one was forged.

The Clunas reading examined the importance of antiques in China. Antiques are thought to connect the past and present because it gives us a glimpse into life and culture in the past. Different antiques had various meanings and were valued based on their connection to culture and history.

The Ebrey reading described Emperor Huizong’s collections as large, comprehensive, and organized because he knew it would bolster his reputation and prestige. I agree with Abbe because she commented about the significance of having a large collection, or today something that is desired because people will see you in a different light. What Jillian said also ties into this – if you have a forgery or replica or something, you may be cool but the thing you own doesn’t feel prestigious.

In the two Arronz chapters, China’s Forbidden City, the once-imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, was raided and destroyed during a historical rebellion. After the final Chinese dynasty fell, the palace became a museum and has exhibited a near comprehensive collection of artifacts. The second chapter is about how many artifacts were evacuated and survived through war, describing a complete timeline that describes how everything was saved.

In this rewrite of a blog post, I didn’t start from a blank, instead I tinkered with what I had – I wanted this to be more of what I add and less of what I had previously written, so I summarized what I had written originally and responded to peers’ comments where they were made. I addressed and elaborated on comments made by Dr. D, Jillian, and Abbe. Through rewriting, I learned that I don’t have to just answer people’s questions, but that I can also address thoughts or comments and either agree or disagree with them.