Research On Anqi's "Mo Yuan Hui Guan"

There has been a strong wind of collecting in the Qing Dynasty.The collections during that period usually had a large amount and high qualities.Anqi,who had once run a salt business for the country,was one of the most famous collectors of that time.Anqi owned great financial power.He loved ancient paintings as well as calligraphic works and gained high level of collecting and judging skills,which made him a celebrated collector.MoyuanHuiguan is one of his representative works handed down.All of this has attributed to his great position and influence in the history of appreciating and collection.This article will start from the background of the late Ming till the early Qing Dynasty including the collecting capacity of that time in which Anqi had been living.In the early Qing,with the just-happening dynastic succession,paintings and handwriting works of court had largely floated into the folk society and were acquired largely by private collectors and appreciators,such as scholars,officials etc.Businessmen like Anqi and picture mounters also started to pay great enthusiasm in collecting and tasting.The most important part of this article will be the introduction of Moyuan Huiguan,including the reference value and influence it brings to us.The book occupies a full content of ancient painting and writing works Anqi hasd collect,as well as their essential information and the appreciation opinions wrote by him.Anqi’s living background,his relationship with friends and family members will be discussed in this part.For example,when talking about his family and life,the article will focus on the questions based on document literature such as whether Anqi is the hanger-on of Mingzhu,when was Anqi born etc.The booming and depressing period of the place Hushui Caotang,which was built for the meeting,creating and entertainment for Anqi and his fellow friends,will also be put into this part.Most of the collections in Moyuan Huiguan had been stored there.Then the passage goes to the awarding contribution An and his son had made in Tianjin.An usually talked about his collections and change idea with friends,in order to improve their taste and judging ability.Some of his friends can give valuable advises.So,the people An had been well acquainted with become the point of penetration for An’s friendship.Anqi wrote about why and how he re-engraved SunGuoting’s Shupu and specially invited ChenYixi to make note for the book.He was cautious and serious in picking carving ways and stones,which showed his sincere love for the art works.Knowing his collecting skill and the evaluating made by others about him will do great favor for us to learn Anqi and his books.The active collection mood in the early Qing relates closely to the economical,political and cultural factors.It is a typical product of the development at that time.Afer the death of Anqi,the family started its depression and his collections were left to flounder.Many of these collections flow into the house of the Qing Dynasty,which,like many other private collections,had become a beneficial supplement of the royal collection of Qing Dynasty.This article devote to the further improving of the present research by searching for and studying the relevant literature of Anqi’s Moyuan Huiguan and discussing some important matters of it.It is expected to be of benefit to the collection,identification and collection and research of ancient Chinese painting and calligraphy.