Xiang Yuanbian’s Hanger-ons

Xiang Yuanbian is the undisputed big collector in the history of Chinese painting and calligraphy.At present,the academic research on the quantity of his collection and his personal life has achieved fruitful results.There was no lack of great works in these studies,but the key role played by the lower class people around Xiang Yuanbian in his collection had not yet drawn enough attention from the academic community.These hanger-ons were mostly lowerlevel literati or craftsmen.On the one hand,they exchanged their skills for economic help,and gained fame and increased their value.On the other hand,Xiang Yuanbian was able to gradually construct a huge entity of her own collection because of the existence of the doorbian group.These hanger-ons play an important role in the process of Xiang Yuanbian’s buying and reading.Based on the study of the "little people" group around Xiang Yuanbian,the paper initially clarises the name,identity and age of birth and death of the people around Xiang Yuanbian who were not noticed by the academic community in the past,makes an in-depth analysis of the multiple roles played by this group in Xiang’s collection activities,and examines the survival and social situation of artistic craftsmen.To sort out the economic relationship and the exchange of calligraphy and painting activities between him and Xiang Yuanbian.In the painting and calligraphy market of the late Ming Dynasty,these marginal roles were active in the trend of ghostwriting,counterfeiting and elegant bribery,which were closely related to the price of painting and calligraphy,the question of authenticity,the guide of collectors to know each other and the aesthetic fashion of artworks.Based on the exploration of the "little people"around Xiang Yuanbian,the paper excavates the identity and sociability of the Antique dealer,mounting artist,painting and calligraphy intermediary,painting and calligraphy appraiser,artisan of the late Ming Dynasty.All these play a fundamental role in the study of Xiang Yuanbian’s collection activities.