When the False Seems True, Even the True Seems False

With that thought, Chu Chen really felt it was possible. He simply couldn't understand how anyone in the world could imitate Zhao Mengfu so perfectly that the copy looked like the genuine work. If that were really the case, there should have been at least some relevant records in the ancient books.

Thinking of this, Chu Chen pretended to examine the main text while secretly studying the silk used for the work.

The silk and paper used in calligraphy and painting played a certain role in dating such works. For example, if a work by a Ming-dynasty calligrapher or painter appeared on Qing-dynasty paper, anyone could tell that it was impossible. Therefore, identifying the silk and paper was also extremely important when authenticating calligraphy and paintings.

According to research, the silk paintings from the late Zhou dynasty, the silk paintings from Chu tombs of the Warring States period, and the silk paintings from the slightly later Han tombs at Mawangdui were all made from relatively fine, densely woven single-thread silk. So far, no double-thread silk had been found among them—that is, silk woven with double-thread warps and single-thread wefts.

Silk from the period between the Five Dynasties and the Southern Song developed and changed compared with that of earlier eras. On the surface, besides single-thread silk, double-thread silk also appeared. With this kind of silk, every two warp threads formed a group, with a gap of roughly one thread between each pair of groups, while the weft was made of single threads.

Generally speaking, Yuan Dynasty silk was somewhat coarser than Song silk. It was not as fine, dense, and white, and it also appeared looser.

The silk used for this Ode to the Luo River Goddess before him displayed precisely the characteristics of Yuan Dynasty silk. Therefore, the possibility