Gu Jinshui

Biodata

Background and Career

Gu Jinshui was raised by He Chunlian after his father died. He was good at school when young, but left his studies after marrying Liang Ying and made a living through trading. His work included hauling scrap to collection stations and trading grain coupons and Foreign Exchange Certificates 4 8 18.

Under Xi Han’s instruction, he began studying and buying antiques. Xi tested him with forged calligraphy before sending him to gain experience at Panjiayuan. Jinshui later built a collection, opened a shop, published articles and presented research on antique-market forgery techniques at an academic conference 8 88 95 96 109.

Appearance

Jinshui is described as handsome and youthful; when he goes out with his daughter, people sometimes mistake them for siblings 100.

• Build — Not bulky, but visibly muscular 133.
• Reputation — Known as a tough man, though one stranger’s claim that he has “fists bigger than cooking pots” is an exaggeration 18 41.

Personality

Jinshui is playful at home and often teases Liang Ying, Gu Yinxing and Xi Han. He is more guarded in business: he bargains patiently, notices attempts to trap him and uses opponents’ assumptions against them. He can be intimidating, but repeatedly chooses planning over a hasty fight 8 9 32 41 55 114.

He is protective of his family and friends. He investigates Yinxing’s former match, recovers Liang Ying’s inheritance and helps Shanhu resist an attempted extortion. He also puts a suspected abducted child’s safety ahead of an antiques deal 3 24 32 51 54.

Abilities and Skills

Antique appraisal and research

• Identifies forgeries through historical details and physical examination; he explains how alkaline water can reveal a new porcelain piece attached to an old base 8 88.
• Recognizes overlooked finds, including a Ru Kiln vase and three Song-dynasty Jizhou Kiln tea bowls 77 100.
• Consults books and Xi Han when uncertain rather than treating every judgment as final 100 101.
• Publishes illustrated antiques articles and gives a conference presentation using forgery examples 96 101 109.

Negotiation and strategy

• Uses a factory-job opportunity to persuade the Guan family to sell him a snuff bottle while improving their granddaughter Da Ya’s prospects 24 25.
• Recovers valuables taken from Liang Ying’s inheritance by substituting fake gold in a bag that Song Jianshe then steals 31 32.
• Recognizes planted steel intended to frame him; when police search his home, the sack there contains sweet potatoes instead 8 9.

Equipment and Notable Items

• Xi Han’s handwritten notebooks and carved seal — Gifts from his master for study and use in the antiques trade 8 72.
• Golden-Silk Nanmu — Found among wood given to him after arranging the Guan family’s house purchase; he leaves it in Xi Han’s care rather than selling it 41.
• Imperial Green jadeite — Found inside a discarded stone he buys for 300 yuan; he refuses offers reaching one million yuan 112 113.

Relationships

• Liang Ying — His wife. He recovers her inheritance and supports her plan to explore buying her former textile factory 15 32 130.
• Gu Yousi — His daughter, whom he dotes on; her thoughts and warnings sometimes help him connect clues 13 51 136.
• He Chunlian — His mother, who raised him and his sister alone; she worries about his risks while supporting his work 4 56 57.
• Gu Yinxing — His younger sister. He investigates Chen Shiwen and later forces a response to a false complaint that harms her hospital career 3 76 77.
• Xi Han — His antiques master. Jinshui cares for him, returns a lost painting and pursues the treasures stolen by Xi’s former godson 8 84 135 144.
• Shanhu and Douzi — Longtime companions in his trading work; both help with his plans, while Jinshui helps Shanhu through a failed engagement and later marriage 3 32 51 55.
• Song Jianshe — Neighbor and persistent rival in antiques and business 18 62 100 113.
• Professor Bai — Scholar who respects Jinshui’s practical expertise and encourages his writing, conference work and academic travel 94 96 108 124.
• Professor Yamamoto — Initially a source of suspicion; later entrusts Jinshui with Chinese cultural relics he has collected for their return 132 133 134.

Major Arcs

• Shift into antiques — Jinshui moves beyond scrap trading, learns from Xi Han, completes increasingly valuable deals and considers property as lasting security for his family 8 13 29 55 56 57.
• Xi’an trip — He travels with Shanhu, works with He Fei to obtain a genuine snuff bottle and competes with Song Jianshe’s group 58 61 62.
• Growing public reputation — His shop, published articles and conference presentation bring his field knowledge to customers and academics 88 96 101 109.
• Return of cultural relics — During an exchange in Japan, he wins an appraisal contest and learns Yamamoto has been safeguarding Chinese artifacts. He brings ten crates home and helps transfer them to the Cultural Relics Bureau 130 133 134 135.
• Xi Han’s stolen collection — Jinshui follows a lead to the United States, identifies Xi’s former godson Lin Dahai and brings back stolen antiques. A sold dragon robe remains unrecovered, but he secures compensation for Xi 135 136 139 143 144.