GEETANJALI’S SUCCESS ACADEMY

The Chinese Statue by Jeffry Archer

DETAILED SUMMARY
The Chinese Statue grips the readers’ attention by its accurate depiction of Chinese
art of deception, and the British love for the exotic Orient.
The story …
The scene is set at Sotheby’s, an auction house of considerable repute. Here, an
antique Chinese porcelain statuette had gone under the hammer in the presence of a
motley crowd of some serious and not-so-serious bidders. The item carried the
number ‘Lot 103’. To apprise the bidders about the nature and source of the
porcelain piece, the auctioneers had made available a fact-sheet about the item to
the bidders. The brochure said that the statue had been purchased in China from a
place called Ha Li Chuan in the year 1871. The owner, who sold off this precious
item, was described as a ‘gentleman’, apparently to hide the name of the aristocrat
owner who had, perhaps, fallen in bad times. The ‘gentleman’ had likely been
compelled to sell this family heritage item to get some money for his dire needs.
The author, seated amidst the bidders, was intrigued by this item’s lineage and
decided to delve into its past to get a clearer picture of its origin and ownership.
Long time back, the antique statuette had been originally bought by Sir Alexander
Heathcote, a diplomat-gentleman of great acclaim. He was a very fastidious person
whose daily routine was set to the accuracy of a minute. His breakfast, taken
exactly at the same time in the morning, had the same ingrediets in the same
quantity. He reached his desk at the Foreign Office sharp at 8.59am, and left for
home when the clock stroke six in the evening.
Sir Alexander Heathcote had perhaps imbibed his penchant for punctuality from
his father who was a General. The young Alexander joined the diplomatic corpse,
and rose steadily from a clerk’s level through various ranks to represent Her
Highness in Peking (now Beijing). For his kind of job, his punctual habits suited
well. He had been an avid follower of Chinese art scene during the Ming dynasty.
Perhaps, this interest in China’s artisan history made Mr. Gladstone to offer him
the top diplomat’s job in Peking. Sir Alexander was overly delighted.
After a two-month sea voyage, Sir Alexander arrived in Peking and handed over
his credentials to Empress Tzu-Hsi in a traditional ceremony. The ceremony took

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place in the Imperial Palace where the Empress, standing in her white royal robe
with gold embellishments, received the Ambassador of Queen Victoria. Sir
Alexander went through the ceremony with great finesse and aplomb. When he
was being escorted back by a Mandarin, his eyes fell on a disorderly kept
collection of statues in the palace compound. Each of these pieces appeared to be
of beguiling beauty. Sir Alexander was clearly excited to notice these. The ivory
and jade statues aroused his intense curiosity. It left his imagination whirling.
Sir Alexander’s tenure in China was to end in three years. So, he lost no time on
leaves. Instead, he went on a spree to explore the outlining countryside around
Peking. Accompanied by a mandarin, he went on a horse back understanding the
culture and life in China. The mandarin helped him to overcome the language
barrier, and also to interpret the complex socio-economic landscape in his host
country. On once such outings, he ran into a craftsman’s workshop in a sparsely
populated village named Ha Li Chuan, about 50 miles away from Peking. With
curiosity gripping his mind, he disembarked from the horse and ventured into the
workshop that looked so primitive and pedestrian. There were ivory and jade
pieces strewn all over. Notwithstanding the chaotic environment of the work place,
the small artifacts looked mind glowingly exquisite. His mind yearned to acquire a
souvenir as a memento. He was a tall man, and found it difficult to squeeze in his
big frame into the inner portion of the workshop.
Sir Alexander could smell the aroma of Jasmine oil that wafted through the air. He
was spellbound to see such a collection of precious art pieces. An old Chinese
man, looking very ordinary in his very ordinary robes, stepped out to meet the
distinguished visitor in a deferential manner. The Mandarin began to convey to the
old artisan the fact that his boss wanted to look into the collection of the artefacts
in the shop. The old man was more than polite in giving his eager assent. Sir
Alexander feasted his eyes with the magnificent art pieces, and returned to the old
man to say how pleased and taken aback he had been to see his work. The old man
reciprocated the visitor’s appreciation with subdued glee and gratitude. He then
ushered the visitor duo to an inner chamber which appeared so intriguing with its
collection of miniature statues of emperors and classical figures. Sir Alexander was
blown off his feet to see the marvelous pieces of rare beauty and perfection. A
conversation ensued between the visitor and the master artisan, with the mandarin
acting as the channel. The conversation had a generous component of Ming
Dynasty’s rule in China. Sir Alexander was in his own turf.

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The old artisan proffered to show a statue belonging to the Ming dynasty that he
said had been with his family for generations. Sir Alexander was only too pleased
to hear this. Leaving the two men behind, the little old artisan ran to his tiny house
nearby to fetch the statue. After a while, he returned holding the ‘Ming dynasty’
artefact close to his chest. His body language showed that he was in fact holding
something very precious. With gaping eyes, Sir Alexander looked intently at the
six inch tall statuette. It was that of the Emperor Kung. Sir Alexander was
thunderstruck. He concluded that the piece belonged to the fifteenth century and
the artisan who crafted it was Pen Q, who was patronized by the Emperor. Sir
Alexander was flummoxed and nonplussed. The ivory base was missing, but Sir
Alexander ascribed it to its antique past. Surprise, excitement and pleasure were
writ large in his face. Standing at a distance, the old artisan saw his guest’s
wonder, and was both happy and content.
Sir Alexander made no attempt to conceal his excitement. The little old man
marked all this with subdued elation. While handing back the statute to the artisan,
Sir Alexander inadvertently blurted out, “How much I wish the piece was mine.”
As a career diplomat, he must not have been so indiscreet to utter these words. In
the next moment, he realized he had thrown all caution to the air and said this. But,
by then, the Mandarin had translated the distinguished visitor’s wish to the old
man. It was too late.
The old artisan looked pale as he handed over the statuette to his visitor. No
amount of protestation by the diplomat could reverse the course of action. The old
man beseeched his honored guest to accept the item. Sir Alexander, befuddled
momentarily, stood there unable to decide how to respond to the situation. He was
both confused and perplexed at the turn of events. ‘Seeking a gift is a very un-
diplomatic act,’ he thought.
The supplicant artisan proposed to fix a base to the artefact so that his guest could
display it properly. From inside a chest full of bases, the old man selected a
befitting one for the gift he was going to part with. Quite apologetically, he
expressed his ignorance about the year of making of the base, but he assured Sir
Alexander that it would be a good fit for the tiny statue of Emperor Kung. The
British diplomat was overwhelmed with a sense of embarrassment and guilt. He
struggled to find words to thank the humble artisan.
As they headed back home, the diplomat was lost in thoughts. The Mandarin knew
his boss’s predicament, and the feeling of impropriety that had overtaken him. To

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assuage his boss’s troubled mind, he told him about a Chinese tradition that made
it imperative for the recipient of a gift to pay the cost of the item to the giver within
a year of getting it. So, the diplomat had one full year to pay the cost of the rare
artefact to the humble old man. By doing this, he could absolve himself of the
moral turpitude that was haunting him for accepting the item from the stranger.
The Mandarin’s words brought instant relief to his master’s mind. As soon as Sir
Alexander reached his office, he went straight to the well-stocked library to find
some clue about the possible cost of the masterpiece he had just come to possess.
He did find a sketch of a similar statue, and its possible cost. But, the cost was
almost astronomical. The amount equaled his three years’ salary! He went into a
huddle with his wife to decide what to do next. The duo agreed that the amount had
to be found and paid to the artisan. It meant that a large part of his savings would
go to pay for the six-inch statuette of Emperor Hun.Sir Alexander lost no time in
asking his banker in London to withdraw the required amount from his account and
send it to Peking with the maximum haste possible. It took nearly nine weeks for
the amount to reach Peking. Sir Alexander made inquiries from the Mandarin
about the next course of action. The latter took a week’s time to furnish the
answers.
The Mandarin delved into the ancestry of the artisan and dug up some interesting
facts. The master craftsman’s name was Yung Lee, and he was the descendant of a
long line of highly skilled craftsmen of Yung Shau fame, who all excelled in the
art. It also emerged that the artisan Yung Lee’s ancestors had the privilege of
having their creations exhibited in the palaces of Manchu royals. Yung Lee, was
planning to pass on the trade to his son, and retire to live in the hills in his dotage.
That place had been the abode of his ancestors. With all these information, Sir
Alexander felt reassured and happy. ‘The Mandarin had done a good job,’ he
reasoned. He asked the Mandarin to go and seek an audience with the Empress on
his behalf. A few days later; the Empress’s permission was received.
Almost on the day of completion of the one-year period, the British diplomat,
accompanied by the Mandarin reached the village, Ha Li Chuan, where the
generous artisan lived. Sir Alexander quickly got down from his horse and went
into the decrepit shed. He found the master craftsman seated on a bench and poring
on his work. Initially, the artisan couldn’t recognize the visitor, until he got very
close. As usual, he received his distinguished visitor with the utmost courtesy and
humility. Sir Alexander announced that he had come to redeem his commitment to
pay for the priceless artefact within the mandatory period of one year. The old
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artisan replied almost reverentially that he was indeed honored to see his
possession exhibited in the British embassy. Fumbling for words, Sir Alexander
requested the old man to come with him for a short errand around the place.
Seated on donkey back, the three men headed towards the north. In about two
hours, travelling along a narrow mud track, they reached the village Ma Tien
where the craftsman’s workshop stood. There they met another Mandarin who very
respectfully asked the trio to accompany him for a short walk. They reached a
point atop the hill that gave a panoramic view of the vast plain below. In that small
valley on the hill, they saw a beautifully crafted house. Two dogs made out of
white marble guarded the house.
Till then, the escort who had brought the guests here didn’t know why they had
come there. It was the turn of Sir Alexander to break the silence. Most humbly, he
set out to offer the money he had brought towards the cost of the artefact he had
received about a year ago. At this, the craftsman, overcome with consternation, fell
at Sir Alexander’s feet and begged him not to offer him anything at all, as it was
against law to accept money from a foreigner for a piece of craft. The Mandarin
intervened and helped the contrite old artisan to his feet. To remove misgivings
from the old man’s mind, the Mandarin assured him that the Empress herself had
approved the payment of the cost of his statuette to him by the British ambassador.
The old man regained his composure. He appeared relaxed and somewhat happy.
He paced towards the door of the house, and caressed the two marble dogs
standing as sentries. The visitors spent about an hour inside the exquisite house
before returning to Li Chuan, the village of the artisan. Sir Alexander returned to
his quarters, content and relaxed. He had paid for the gift in the true Chinese
tradition, and, most importantly, had obtained his wife’s endorsement. Sir
Alexander’s term in Peking was drawing to an end. He had discharged his duty
with great aplomb that got him the award of ‘Silver Star of China’ from the
Empress, and the honorific ‘KCVO’ from the British Queen. Back in London, Sir
Alexander retired from service and settled in his country home in Yorkshire.
Sir Alexander lived his twilight years in his ancestral home. Giving him company
were his wife, and the Chinese Emperor, albeit reduced to a stature of just six
inches, and frozen in marble. Visitors saw the statuette and admired it. Its present
owner got a fair share of the adulation for his fine understanding of antique’s
intrinsic worth. In his meticulously drafted will, he made elaborate mention of the
way the statuette would be passed on from one progeny to his successor. ‘Only the
first son or the daughter would won it,’ he willed. He forbade its sale, unless under
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very pressing financial difficulties. Sir Alexander Heathcote breathed his last at the
age of 70.The Ming Emperor’s custody passed on to Major James Heathcote, the
first son. He had seen action in the Boer War fighting at Her Majesty’s service.
Although not an antique enthusiast, Major James felt the Emperor deserved to be
exhibited in the Regiment’s mess in Hallifax. When Major James became Colonel
James, he kept the Emperor on his table where the many trophies he had won in
battles were so proudly exhibited. On retirement, Col. James returned to live in his
ancestral home where the Emperor also stood majestically. Col. James
remembered very well that the artefact has to go to the next in the lineage.
Col. James died peacefully at his ancestral home in Yorkshire. The family baton
passed on to Reverend Alexander Heathcote. The Ming Emperor found a new
pedestal. The Reverend placed it on a mantle in his vicarage. Not many paid much
heed to the Emperor from China. In due course, the Reverend became the Right
Reverend, and he moved to the Bishop’s quarters. In this new abode, the Emperor
got many visitors to adore him. The visitors heard about the origin of the statue, the
high cost the Bishop’s grandfather had paid for it, and the way the base was retro-
fitted to the statue just before changing hands. In all, the Emperor got all the
attention he deserved. In the opportune time, the Bishop made his will that made
his son, Captain James Heathcote, the custodian of the precious heirloom in future.
Captain James was the grandson of Sir Alexander. Like his father, he was a
military man. Soon, the Emperor left the Bishop’s palace and found its way back to
the Hallifax officers’ mess.
Sadly, Captain James fell in the battlefields of Dukirk. His premature death made
his two-year-old son the inheritor of the artefact. The young child’s name was Alex
Heathcote. Unfortunately, he grew up to be a wayward and immoral person, in
complete reversal of the family that gave the society men of such sterling character
and distinction. Alex’s mother fawned over him, pandering to his demands. This
spoiled the young lad even more.
Alex was a nuisance at school, and had to leave it to avoid being thrown out. He
was a spendthrift, and a reckless man. He owed money to many, who began to use
coercive means to collect their dues. On one occasion, he received a stern call from
his creditors to repay them six thousand pounds in a fortnight’s time. Somehow,
Alex had to arrange six thousand pounds. He mulled over the idea of selling the
Ming Emperor. After all, his great grandfather had allowed its sale when the
family’s honor was at stake.

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He looked at the Ming Emperor with poignant eyes. ‘I am undone,’ he reasoned to
himself. With the Emperor, he went to Sotheby’s where he thought he could get it
auctioned for a good amount to pay off his creditors. The expert at Sotheby’s
scrutinized the statuette and appeared to be initially appreciative of its worth.
However, he said it would take a few days for the detailed examination of the
artefact to be over. Till then, he reserved his judgment. Alex was pleased, as the
estimate about its worth, if received before the 14-day deadline, could keep his
tormentors at bay. He called his creditors to tell them that the statuette is under
evaluation at Sotheby’s and they could expect some good news before their 14-day
deadline ended. The creditors agreed to wait. Deep in his mind, Alex paid his
gratitude to his great grandfather. After a few days, agog with an expectant mind,
Alex headed to the Sotheby’s to get a sense of the windfall he was to get for the
statuette. But, he was in for a rude shock. With a cold and indifferent expression,
the lady at the counter told Alex that the artefact was a fake. It was just about two
hundred to two hundred fifty years old. It could fetch something like seven
hundred to eight hundred pounds at the best — a fraction of Alex’s debts. Dejected
and shattered, Alex began to head back home, contemplating to buy a gun to kill
himself. He casually told the person at the counter to sell it off for whatever it was
worth. Curiously, the base was found to be a fifteenth century masterpiece.
At Sotheby’s, the author was looking at this combination of a fake statuette fixed
on a genuine base in Lot no. 103. He won the bid for the Emperor sans his base for
seven hundred twenty guineas. The base was won by an American collector for
twenty-two thousand guineas.