Zhang Yukun, a wizard of Qianlong dynasty: Zhang Yukun, praised by Korean literati as "Wang Xizhi", was born in Shenyang in Qianlong period of Qing Dynasty, whose real name was Zhang Youling, whose name was Yu Kun, and whose name was Wanquan Jushi. So far, the name Zhang Yukun can't be found in all the existing official books of Qing Dynasty and local documents in Northeast China. If I hadn't read his deeds in the book "Into the Shen Ji" collected in Kuizhangge Library during my research at Seoul National University in Korea, how could I believe that there was such a prodigy in Shenyang during the Qianlong period! Please look at this passage written by the Korean scholar Li Chengzhong in his book: "Yu Guan Wan Quan Weng is thirty years old, young and heroic, and he is beautiful. Fang Qipin's books are divided into flowers and stones, and there must be words and friends, high Buddhism and Taoism, such as the group of sages in Lanting and the six escapes in Zhuxi. If the phoenix tree is on the moon and the lotus wind comes, the crane avoids smoke and the fish swallows ink, there will be a mysterious talk about poor morality, and the beautiful sentence will be elegant. I didn't put Li Chengzhong in the East China Sea in the middle, but I saw Weng twenty-seven years later. " Zhang Yukun, 57, is praised as Wang Xizhi among the sages of Lanting and Ruan Ji among the seven sages of Bamboo Forest. In the 5,-year history of cultural exchange between China and South China (DPRK), which Korean scholar has received such praise from the literati in the east? In my humble opinion, I'm afraid no one surpasses Zhang Yukun! Li Chengzhong's real name is Li Wanxiu, and his word is Cheng Zhong. He wrote this article in September of the forty-eighth year of Qianlong (1783). When Emperor Qianlong went out to pay homage to the ancestral tomb, North Korea sent a delegation headed by Li Fuyuan, who was left to discuss politics, to Shenyang to receive the driver. Li Chengzhong, the second son of Li Fuyuan, the ambassador of the DPRK mission, passed the examination of Jinshi and went to Shenyang as Li Fuyuan's attache. Zhang Yukun's ancestral home is Dengzhou, Shandong Province (now Yantai City), and his ancestors were incorporated into the Eight Banners of the Han Army in the early Qing Dynasty. Due to the early death of his father, in order to maintain his family life, he abandoned school and went into business. At the age of 3, he lived a rich life of "reading books and sorting flowers and stones". Because Zhang Yukun didn't get the imperial examination fame, he didn't become an official, he didn't have literary works and he didn't have huge property, so there was no record of him in the local literature of Qing Dynasty. From the above, it can be seen that the social status of the two of them is very different. Zhang Yukun was born in an ordinary banner family, but he was a well-fed Manchu businessman in Shenyang, while Li Chengzhong was a promising young scholar, the son of a prominent official in a neighboring country. Therefore, the two of them were able to get to know each other by the Wanquan River in Shenyang (now along the Xiaohe River in Dadong District of Shenyang), which was full of chance. In order to know the true face of celebrities, according to Emperor Qianlong's plan to visit the mausoleum, he plans to arrive in Shenyang at the end of July and spend his 73rd birthday in the city. Therefore, the "Holy Festival and Greetings from Shenyang" mission sent by North Korea left the capital Seoul on June 13th. Although it was informed on the way that the date of Emperor Qianlong's mausoleum was postponed to September, it still crossed the Yalu River on July 19th and arrived in Shenyang Outer City on August 1st, and stayed in Sanyi Temple arranged by the Qing Dynasty. Li Chengzhong and his colleague Li Junji (nephew of Li Fuyuan, real name Li Tianxiu, word Junji) took advantage of the ample waiting time to visit celebrities in Shenyang. However, from the first day of August to the 22nd, the Li brothers visited four scribes in a row, and all of them were disappointed. Cha Tong was the first celebrity they visited (according to Volume 41 of Shengjing Tongzhi, edited by A Gui and others, Cha Tong was from Haining, Zhejiang Province, was born as a diploma student and was an official in Liaoyang). I'm afraid that within a week after arriving in Shenyang, although they asked everyone, the result was: Cha Tong was an official in Liaoyang, not a native of Shenyang, and it was impossible for him to come to Shenyang to pick up the driver because of his small official position. Xuan Cong is the second famous person they visited (according to A Gui and others, Volume 41 of Shengjing Tongzhi records: Xuan Cong, a scholar of Ganlong Yiweike, candidate for magistrate of a county). The brothers Li Chengzhong visited Xuan Cong's home three times in a few days, and each time they hit a wall. Zhang Fengming was the third celebrity they visited (according to the records in Volume 41 of Shengjing Tongzhi, edited by A Gui, Zhang Fengming was from Huanggang, Hubei). However, Zhang Fengming, a member of Fengtianfu Zhizhong, refused to meet Li Chengzhong on the grounds that "there are too many officials here to meet outsiders". Zhou Jin is the fourth celebrity they visited. Because Li Chengzhong had something to do that day, Li Junji, his subordinate brother, went to visit Zhou Jin together with the student surnamed Shan. Unexpectedly, he came back and said: It was very smooth to see Zhou Jin, but he didn't know anything. "Let Mr. Xuetang talk for him, which was quite disappointing." Zhang Yukun is the fifth celebrity they visited on the morning of August 23rd. Brother Li Chengzhong found the Zhang family according to the clue provided by Zhou Jin: "The door is near Wanquan River, and there are more than a dozen rooms, which are only sheltered from wind and rain, so we can know the life of a poor man." An old woman in the courtyard told the visitors that her master was not at home. Li Chengzhong asked her to bring a pen and paper and leave a thank-you note for her host so that she could come again. The old woman went into the room to get a pen and paper. After a while, a man came out of the room, who was awarded (spotted) Bai Yanfa, with a medium figure and a rather awkward posture. This was Zhang Yukun's first impression on Li Chengzhong, and it didn't seem to have much affection. The Li brothers, the godson in business, were invited into the inner room by Zhang Yukun. "The walls are filled with ancient and modern books, most of which are not seen in book shops. A few teas are fragrant and the net is gratifying. " After the host and guest sat down and exchanged a few pleasantries, the guest asked the host to take out paper and ink stone to talk on the grounds of "not being proficient in Chinese". Li Chengzhong wrote: "Your servant and other people in the East China Sea are new to the big country, and I would like to meet with the famous people in Shen Zhong ... Yesterday, someone showed the Poems of Pan Meixuan on his sleeve, which contained a postscript by Mr. Pan Meixuan. It's a good article. After reading it, I can't help admiring him. Today, I come to visit him." This passage not only shows the purpose, but also explains the reason for visiting Zhang Yukun. After reading it, Zhang Yukun repeatedly handed over his hand and wrote: "The servant is dressed in cloth, not a celebrity." The guest asked, "Is Mr. Wang a member of the people's family?" The master replied that he was a subordinate, and wrote: "The servant is a city person, but he is not a life person." Seeing that Zhang Yukun had been humbly called a commoner, the Lee brothers wrote down the names of famous scholars in the early Qing Dynasty, such as Xu Qianxue, Zhu Yizun and Gu Yanwu, to test Zhang Yukun's knowledge. Seeing the intention of the North Korean guests, Zhang Yukun took the initiative to ask: "Your country has a beautiful woman, Xu Su (Jing) Fan, who can recite poems at the age of eight or nine. Is it true?" Li Chengzhong was surprised and asked, "How do you know who he is?" Zhang Yukun replied: "I have hidden this anthology." And this answer is enough to let the guests know that the host is by no means an idle generation. Imagine that Zhang Yukun, a businessman, not only knew that there was a poetess in North Korea who could recite poems at the age of eight or nine, but also collected her anthology. I am afraid that the scholars at that time could not reach his reading level. Next, Li Chengzhong asked: "How is Xuan Cong's article written?" Zhang Yukun replied: "Stereotyped writing is just a system, but poetry is a little bit." When his younger brother Li Junji saw that Xuancong, who was born in Jinshi, was only evaluated by Zhang Yukun as "a little mediocre in poetry and prose", he took the opportunity to write: "Today, when I came to the house, my books have made me feel humble and stingy. Although Mr. Wang wants to be modest, he can resign as a famous person in Shenyang! " Zhang Yukun quickly changed the subject and asked where the two brothers lived. Li Chengzhong replied: I am a scholar and my brother is a scholar. Zhang Yukun argued that North Korea's imperial examination system was stronger than that of the Qing Dynasty: "The people among them were lost in stereotyped writing, and even less impressive". He took a pen and wrote: "Nowadays, it is very difficult to be an official. After waiting for 3 years, it is still difficult to be a state or county official. Although Ci Lin was born lofty, he had to be cultivated by a wealthy family. A retired from the forest, teaching his son to do his own business, is also enough to entertain himself. Why should he admire the reputation of a scholar, but not live up to its name? " This passage subtly expresses the reason why Zhang Yukun did not take the imperial examination. For example, the aforementioned Jinshi Xuancong is just like this. Therefore, Zhang Yukun chose business godson and lived a hermit's life. At this point, Li Junji conveniently proposed to Zhang Yukun: "Mr. Wang must have a Chinese manuscript of poetry, please play." Zhang Yukun replied that for many years, the pen and ink stone were sparse, and there was no manuscript left, not to mention that even if there was one, he did not dare to present it, so as not to make people laugh. Later, Zhang Yukun took out Pan Meixuan's Poems and asked them how they found the book. Li Junji said that a student with a single surname from Haizhou (present-day Haicheng) brought it to them, and turned to the book titled Zhang Yukun's Small Photo of Tongyin, pointing to the sentence in the poem "Holding a jade plate and talking about Zen", he asked, "Does your husband love this?" Zhang Yukun replied with a pen: "The Zen master has an epiphany, and there is no wonderful solution." Show that you really like Zen Buddhism. When the Lee brothers bid farewell to Zhang Yukun, the two sides agreed: If Zhang Yukun has time in the future, please meet at the residence of the North Korean mission; If Zhang Yukun is not at home, please invite the North Korean guests to the Guangfa pawnshop behind the Zhangjia, or go to the Changyu and Changchun shops in the city to talk to him. Li Junji wrote in his diary that day: I searched everywhere for dozens of days, but I didn't see anyone. Although this son has not seen great ideas, he is also a little dirty and less urban, and his talk is also gratifying, that is, the books in his room are eye-opening. It's the day when Brother Zhong and I care for each other. It was only in the frequent exchanges that Li Junji realized that Zhang Yukun's knowledge was "eye-opening" and only half right. On the eighth day of September, the Lee brothers and Liu Jingming, an official of the North Korean mission, visited Zhang Yukun's house. Because Liu Jingming is a calligrapher in the Korean mission, Zhang Yukun got his calligraphy works through the Lee brothers, so he was invited to be a guest. The North Korean guests found that the host had made careful preparations: "There are several celebrity calligraphy and paintings hanging on the east and west walls, and the southern wall reveals the imperial pen of the present emperor (that is, Qianlong). A few inkstones, stoves and bowls, and the column feels clean. " On top of the master's book case, there is also an antique incense burner, on which there is a summary of the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty. Liu Jingming has learned from the Li brothers that there are many calligraphy treasures in Zhang Yukun's home. "Please see the books of Mi Yuanzhang, Shen Shitian, Zhao Songxue and Chou Shizhou." However, this time Zhang Yukun replied: "Only Shen Hua, Zhao is the most counterfeit." Then he took out two-axis paintings by Shen Shitian (whose real name was Shen Zhou,No. Shitian, a famous painter in Ming Dynasty), one of which was "Landscape of Pale Ink" and the other was "Brocade of Amaranth" for North Korean guests to enjoy and play with. As for the "Pale Ink Landscape", the Lee brothers and Liu Jingming agreed that it was an original work of Shen Shitian and a masterpiece of his paintings. Although there are different opinions on the "Brocade of Amaranth", it is believed that even if it is not the original work of Shen Shitian, it is copied by famous artists, and it is by no means a "common brush brocade amaranth". After appreciating Shen Shitian's two-axis paintings, Zhang Yukun took out another one of Fu Wen's "The Fisherman's Picture", which is a rare finger painting, "the brushwork is pale and very ancient". When the three North Korean guests saw this treasure, they were really pleasantly surprised. All eyes were fixed on the picture: a fisherman was dressed in rags and Ma Xie, holding a fish in his right hand and a fishing rod in his left hand, and his eyebrows were stirring, still smelling of mountains and rivers. Write "Lu Shan Fu Wen freehand brushwork". The Lee brothers and Liu Jingming admired "it's really a famous painting" while watching it, anxious to know the origin of the painter Fu Wen. So they saw such a story from Zhang Yukun's pen: Fu Wen was a famous great painter at that time, and Emperor Qianlong liked his painting style very much. One day, Emperor Qianlong called Fu Wen into the palace and gave him a shaft of the emperor's own paintings to "render them". Who knows that when this painting reached Fu Wen's hand, it sank like a stone, and there was no news. Emperor Qianlong summoned Fu Wen again and asked why he had not returned the painting. Unexpectedly, Fu Wen replied that one of the emperor's paintings was not up to standard, so it was impossible to render it. Emperor Qianlong was so angry that he ordered the guards to beat this man out immediately and forbid him to paint for others in the future. Because Fu Wen offended the emperor, no one dared to ask him to paint any more. Unfortunately, he starved to death. What Zhang Yukun finally showed the guests was a horizontal axis: there was a man in it, who was thirty years old, with a handsome brow and a beautiful shadow, sitting with a book in his hand. There is a Taihu stone sitting in front of it, and there are several miscellaneous flowers. In addition, the front column of the lake is leaning over the pool, the lotus is in full bloom, and the small fish are around. A boy in the lotus room made Xiyan Lake water. After sitting, a boy blew fire and cooked tea, and he had a crane fist. Looking back at the bristles, his face was faintly recognizable. When the three guests enjoyed the painting, the more they looked at it, the more they felt that the face and body of the owner in the painting were familiar, but they couldn't remember where they had seen this person. After they raised this question, the host laughed: "This servant is thirty years old and has fun." The guests also laughed. It turned out that the owner in the painting was Zhang Yukun himself. Zhang Yukun asked the Li brothers: "In the multi-axis painting, how about the two gentlemen giving a good poem on this topic to increase the price of Yanshi?" Li Chengzhong said on the spot that he was particularly willing to write poems for Zhang Yukun's "Play, Play and Play" to describe their deep friendship. This is the passage quoted at the front of this article, which made Shenyang people know that the "Wanquan layman" was full of wind and wealth more than 2 years later.