On July 29th, I had the pleasure of visiting "Qing Yuan Zhai," an impressive ancient bricks museum in Bao'an district, Shenzhen, accompanied by Mr. Xiao, the founder and chief editor of the "City Discovery" series, and Miss Jian, the owner of the "Jiang Chuan Ren" wine brand.
7月29日，我有幸陪同《发现城市之美》系列丛书创始人肖主编和“匠传人”白酒品牌所有人简女士，参观了深圳市宝安区令人印象深刻的古砖博物馆“清源斋”。
The founder of the museum, Mr. Dai Yuanhuan, has dedicated nearly a decade to this significant work, which deeply touched me. As a result, I am delighted to write an article for Dai about his esteemed museum.
博物馆的创始人，戴元环先生，为这项意义重大的工作奉献了近十年，他的努力深深打动了我。因此，我很荣幸能为戴先生写一篇文章，关于他那备受尊崇的博物馆。
In addition, as a photographer, I captured some photos to contribute, although these photos can impossibly match the dedication of Dai's work.
此外，作为摄影师，我还拍摄了一些照片做一点贡献，尽管这些照片无法与戴先生做出的贡献相提并论。
I. Motivation Came From Serendipity
一、动力源于机缘巧合
Born in the 1980s, Dai was a typical Chaoshan businessman, had focused on manufacturing electronic devices until 2014. 2014 was a crucial turning point when he shifted his focus from manufacturing to culture and embarked on a new career as the owner of the Qing Yuan Zhai ancient bricks museum. He even sold his factory and house for this objective, despite the uncertainty.
戴先生出生于20世纪80年代，是一位符合众人印象的潮汕商人，在2014年之前，他一直专注于制造电子设备。2014年是一个关键的转折点，他将工作重点从制造业转向文化，作为清源斋古砖博物馆的所有者开始了全新事业生涯。为了实现这个目标，他甚至卖掉了自己的工厂和房子，尽管前途未知。
"I made this spontaneous decision out of serendipity in Changsha in 2014", Dai explained.
戴先生解释说:“因为2014年在长沙的机缘巧合，我不由自主做出了这个决定。”
In 2014, Dai owned an electronic device factory in Shenzhen, but some of his friends took him more as a historic scholar than an entrepreneur. During a cultural research seminar in Changsha, he unexpectedly came across an ancient brick that sparked his passion for collecting ancient bricks. Upon analyzing it, he discovered that the brick was crafted by craftsmen from the Wu Kingdom, nearly 1800 years ago, during the "Age of Three Kingdoms" between the Han and Jin Dynasties. Convinced of its cultural value, Dai resolved to establish an ancient brick museum.
2014年，戴先生在深圳拥有一家电子设备工厂，但他的一些朋友更把他当作是历史学者，而非企业家。在长沙的一次文化研究研讨会上，他意外地发现了一块古砖，激发了他收集古砖的热情。经过分析，他发现这块砖是由约1800年前汉晋两朝之间“三国时代”吴国的工匠制作的。戴先生相信它的文化价值，决定建立一个古砖博物馆。
However, the cost wasn't affordable entirely, even for a businessman like him. He commenced to travel across provinces, searching for ancient bricks in pastures, villages, forest cabins, and even hog lots. The journey was sometimes perilous, with rugged terrains, unpredictable swamps, and bleak deserts, requiring him to upgrade his vehicle and other necessary equipment constantly. Eventually, he had to sell his factory and house to raise sufficient funds, but only a few friends understood what he did.
然而，即使是像他这样的商人，成本也不是完全负担得起的。他开始周游各省，在牧场、村庄、森林小屋甚至猪圈里搜寻古砖。旅程有时很危险，崎岖的地形，莫测的沼泽，荒凉的沙漠，要求他持续升级他的车辆和其他必要装备。最终，他不得不卖掉工厂和房子来筹集足够的资金，但只有少数朋友理解他的所作所为。
"Have you ever felt lonely?" I inquired. Dai's response was brilliant: "Countless people who are materially rich have been forgotten by history, but not those who are spiritually rich."
我问道“您曾经感到孤独吗？”，戴先生的回答非常精彩:“古者富贵而名磨灭，不可胜记，唯倜傥非常之人称焉。”
When Dai's collection reached 1,000 bricks, he sought to learn about similar achievements by others. He heard a collector in Shanghai who claimed to have collected 30,000 bricks, which initially frustrated him. However, upon meeting the collector, Dai discovered that those bricks were similar to each other, whereas his own bricks were far more diverse. Eventually, he realized his own advantage.
当戴先生的收藏达到1000块砖时，他试图了解其他人的类似成就。他听说上海有一位收藏家声称已收集到了3万块砖，这让他最初感到沮丧。然而，在与收藏家见面后，戴发现这些砖块彼此雷同，而他自己的砖块则更加多样化。最终，他意识到了自己的优势。
II. The Unprecedented Collection
二、前所未有的收藏
“I’ve attained representative bricks from various regions and most of dynasties, that is unprecedented in China”, according to Dai. When Dai realized the unparalleled diversity of his collection, he decided to demonstrate his expertise. Consequently, he categorized all his bricks into eight genres: 1. Countenance Texture; 2. Fish Texture; 3. Dragon Texture; 4. Auspicious Phrases; 5. Chinese Surnames; 6. Reign Titles; 7. Random Patterns; and 8. Ancient Ceramic Bricks.
戴先生说：“我收集了来自不同地区和大多数朝代的代表性砖块，这在中国是前所未有的。”当戴先生意识到自己收藏无与伦比的多样性时，他决定展示他的专业知识。因此，他将所有的砖块分为8种类型：1.脸纹；2.鱼纹；3.龙纹；4.吉祥语；5.姓氏；6.年号；7.湿划；8.绞胎。
1.Countenance Texture: Precisely it is called "Taotie," a divine creature in Chinese mythology, which is famous for manifold countenances. This pattern was commonly used on the surface of "Ding" (bronze tripod) during the Shang and Zhou dynasties, approximately 3,000-4,000 years ago. In ancient times, Chinese craftsmen used such patterns to symbolize the dignity of the royal family and ward off evil spirits.
1.脸纹：确切地说，它被称为“饕餮”，是中国神话中的神兽，以多种表情而闻名。这种图案通常用于商周时期的“鼎”（青铜三角锅）的表面，大约3000 - 4000年前。在古代，中国工匠用这种图案来象征皇室的尊严，还能辟邪。
2.Fish Texture: The fish texture is an ancient motif in Chinese art, even found on some neolithic potteries. With its graceful curves, this texture displays an exceptional aesthetic sense while symbolizing abundance and good fortune.
2.鱼纹：鱼纹是中国艺术中的一个古老的主题，甚至在一些新石器时代的陶器上也有发现。以其优美的曲线，这种纹理显示出独特的美感，同时象征着富足和好运。
3.Dragon Texture: Unlike Western dragons, Chinese dragons are virtuous mythological creatures. Dragons are omnipresent in Chinese culture, and many customs and festivals revolve around them, such as the Dragon Boat Festival.
3.龙纹：与西方的龙不同，在中国龙是一种善良的神话生物。龙在中国文化中无所不在，很多习俗和节日都围绕着龙，比如龙舟节（端午节）。
4.Auspicious Phrase: Just as ancient bricks constituted the cornerstone of Chinese structures, auspicious phrases constituted the cornerstone of Chinese civilization. China has long been known as "the land of etiquette", and expressions of greetings are diverse. These auspicious phrases represent the spiritual essence of a civilization that has persisted for 5,000 years, never fading from history.
4.吉祥语：正如古砖构成了中国建筑的基石，吉祥语构成了中国文明的基石。中国长期以来被称为“礼仪之邦”，关于吉祥的表达方式多种多样。这些吉祥语代表了一个五千年文明的精神之髓，从未从历史中消失。
5.Chinese Surnames: With a population of 1.4 billion, China boasts hundreds of surnames. Just as major biblical figures' lineages were recorded, Chinese surnames reveal the origins of each individual. Nowadays, you can find most of Chinese surnames on the surface of these ancient bricks.
5.中国姓氏：拥有14亿人口的中国拥有数百个姓氏。正如在《圣经》中主要人物的血缘都被记录下来，中国人的姓氏揭示了每个个人的渊源。现在，你可以在这些古砖的表面找到大多数中国人的姓氏。
6.Reign Titles: Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, every Chinese emperor adopted at least one reign title. Consequently, these bricks with various reign titles resemble a historical chronicle, recording every page of Chinese history.
6.年号：自汉武帝以来，每一位中国皇帝都至少有一个年号。因此，这些带有各种年号的砖就像一部历史编年史，记录了中国历史的每一页。
7.Random Pattern: Random patterns are a rare genre in Chinese ancient brick collections. While molded these bricks, these patterns were spontaneously engraved by craftsmen, making each brick with an unique pattern. Warships, horse archers, crossbows and so on, there are so many themes and so many details of history.
7.湿划：在中国古砖收藏中，湿划是一种罕见的类型。在塑造这些砖的过程中，这些图案被工匠们随性地雕刻出来，使每块砖都具有独特的图案。战船、骑射手、弓弩等，这么多的主题，这么多的历史细节。
8.Ancient Ceramic Bricks: China is renowned for its porcelain, but ceramic bricks also exemplify the exceptional craftsmanship of ancient Chinese artisans. This ceramic technique called "Jiaotai", that represents a sophisticated process and stands as a testament to the wisdom of ancient Chinese craftsmen.
8.绞胎：中国以瓷器而闻名，但古砖也体现了中国古代工匠的卓越工艺。这种被称为“绞胎”的制砖技术代表了一种复杂的工艺，是中国古代工匠智慧的证明。
Today, the museum has grown to become a leading institution in its field. As a result, the museum has drawen endless praise from the government, media, institutions, and the public. Furthermore, international analysts are increasingly recognizing its importance in the research of human cultural mentality evolution.
如今，该博物馆已发展成为该领域的领先机构，因此博物馆得到了来自政府、媒体、机构和公众的无尽赞誉。此外，国际上也有越来越多的分析人士，认识到它在人类文化心理演变研究中的重要性。
III. A Much Brighter Future
三、一个更光明的未来
The museum has been successfully built, but is there any feasible way to generate more revenue? Currently, Dai has come up with several strategies to increase earnings.
博物馆已经成功建好了，但有没有可行的办法来增加收入呢？目前，戴先生已经想出了几种增加收入的策略。
Firstly, the sale of ancient brick rubbings. In Dai's collection, many bricks contain auspicious phrases like "prosperity and luck" "always be happy" "longevity and peace" and "to get great fortune". Besides, bricks with patterns of fish, tortoise, crane and dragon, can also symbolize certain good wish according to Chinese tradition. As a result, it's proper for people to use these ancient brick rubbings as decorations or presents. Additionally, Dai has more than 100 surname bricks that allow people to see the writing of various surnames from over 1,000 years ago, giving them a sense of history. In this aspect, Dai has also made remarkable achievements.
首先，是古砖拓片的销售。在戴先生的收藏中，许多砖块上都有“富贵吉祥”“长乐未央”“长寿安乐”和“大吉”等吉祥语。此外，根据中国传统，带有鱼、龟、鹤、龙图案的砖也可以象征某种美好的祝愿。因此，人们用这些古砖拓片作为装饰品或礼物是合适的。此外，戴先生还有100多个姓氏砖，让人们可以看到1000多年前各种姓氏的书写，给他们一种历史感。在这方面，戴先生也取得了令人瞩目的成就。
Secondly, it's also feasible to collaborate with calligraphers, painters, and artists. Under the auspices of cultural companies, Dai combine the words and patterns on ancient bricks, and then use them to create popular products, such as towels, T-Shirts, and other decorative items. Moreover, he can even attempt animation making, by turning elements from ancient bricks into animated series.
其次，与书法家、画家和艺术家合作也是可行的。在文化公司的赞助下，戴先生将古代砖块上的文字和图案结合起来，然后用它们创造出流行的产品，比如毛巾、T恤和其他装饰品。此外，他甚至可以尝试动画制作，把古代砖块的元素变成动画系列。
Last but not least, Dai has the ability to gather scholars, analysts, and students to conduct seminars and even establish a cultural database. As people increasingly recognize the significance of culture in today's China, these various activities must attract more attention.
最后但最有价值的是，戴先生具有召集学者、分析家和学生举办研讨会的能力，甚至建立一个文化数据库。在当今中国，随着人们越来越认识到文化的重要性，这些各种各样的活动必然引起更多的关注。
“The road ahead is long and distant, but I’ll explore above and below”, as Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese poet said. Dai Yuanhuan expressed that the most encouraging factor was the support from people surrounding him and the charm of culture itself. He firmly believes in the brighter future, and he will surely be struggled to spread values of Chinese cultural heritage all over the world.
正如中国著名诗人屈原所说：“路漫漫其修远兮，吾将上下求索”。戴元环表示，最鼓舞人心的因素是周围人的支持，以及文化自身的魅力。他坚信未来会更加美好，他一定会努力把中国文化遗产的价值传播到世界各地。