古玩收藏近二十载，成败喜忧，多有心得，难抑心中冲动，欲与知音分享。适逢近有闲暇，遂将近百珍宝，汇集整理，承蒙朋友相助，师长帮扶，划为美玉、烟壶、杂项三篇，精雕细琢，成就《心悦雅集》，实现几代人夙愿。

　　我与夫人，虽非望族之后，但家庭浸淫古董珍玩，已是四代传承，“德义兴”、“乐天商行”早在清末民初，就已名满京城。置身如斯家庭，父辈言传身教，指点迷津，自身耳濡目染，勤学苦练，眼力、灵性突飞猛进。

　　美玉无瑕，五德高雅，其仁爱、忠义、智慧、勇气、廉洁，亦为人生所需，收藏美玉，成为我们古董珍玩的首选。

　　《心悦雅集》中收录的白玉麒麟绶带鸟摆件，是我心爱之物。收藏此物，既有机缘巧合，又是性情所致。此摆件造型出神入化，应属明代宫廷之物，细观玉质，晶莹剔透、温和滋润，雕工精美细腻，面目表情栩栩如生。绶带鸟温顺飘逸，体态典雅，富贵之气，浑然天成;麒麟口衔天书，回首仰望，双目炯炯，气宇轩昂，尽显天兽之霸气，令人肃然起敬。加之麒麟与静麟取名之缘，故而收藏之心蠢蠢欲动，欲罢不能，几番夜不能寐，最终收入囊中。每日沾沾自喜，爱不释手，竟有日久生情之感。

　　人养美玉，美玉养人。藏玉，让我们忘记许多烦恼，其超凡脱俗、圆润包容的品格，时时刻刻净化着我们浮躁的心灵。

　　星移斗转，白驹过隙。随着时间的推移，我们的眼界在开阔，视野更长远。随着收藏领域的拓宽，翡翠、鼻烟壶、象牙、犀角等杂项也开始成为我们青睐之物。

　　书中那只巧夺天工的玻璃胎画珐琅开光西洋山水人物图鼻烟壶，成为我高山仰止的镇宅之宝。这只乾隆时期由清宫造办处烧制的鼻烟壶做工十分考究。簪花铜鎏金盖，扁圆形壶身，涅白色玻璃胎上施珐琅彩，椭圆形圈足。壶体两面开光，开光内以胭脂色绘西洋山水人物楼阁图案，开光外以黄色绘卷草纹，底足内阴刻“乾隆年制”四字楷书款。此壶图纹应为宫廷画家或西洋画家摹仿西洋画法所绘，形式新颖，做工精致。从造型到画片，独树一帜。烧制工艺纷繁复杂，胭脂水与料胎烧制温差二三十度，或高或低，必致前功尽弃，画片落笔之时，凸于表面，及至烧制完成，便如同印于料胎之上，抚之如砥。如此妙到毫巅之手笔，非寻常工匠可为之。

　　除器物本身稀有且价值不菲外，其中更饱含深情厚谊，友人情怀。此壶当初为好友、国家文物鉴定委员会委员、原北京文物公司瀚海艺术品拍卖公司总经理秦公先生，慧眼识真，高瞻远瞩，以胆识魄力力争，才使其免于漂泊海外，因而对这只鼻烟壶的喜爱，既有对其本身的倾心向往，更有对秦公先生的肺腑追思，相比那只玉麒麟绶带鸟摆件，更让我心痒难耐，寝食难安。当在拍卖会上最终落追，这件宝贝成为我囊中之物时，激动之情，难以言表。

　　一份珍藏，一段机缘。打开《心悦雅集》，展于您眼前的每一件珍藏，都是我心中挚爱。当初相遇之时，或内涵丰富，或惟妙惟肖，皆令我驻足流连，欣喜若狂。每一件珍藏，都像是我心爱的孩子，我们之间的情感，剪不断，理还乱。

　　收藏，修身养性;收藏，淡泊明志。亦收亦藏之中，情趣盎然，净化心灵，更生出些许感悟—收藏不在乎价值多少，不强调数量的堆积，努力追求独到精美，努力发现细微处蕴含的高超技艺。

　　现在，我的孩子们都对祖国的传统文化产生了浓厚的兴趣，在《心悦雅集》的酝酿过程中，也融入了他们的智慧和汗水。

　　国之精粹，我辈必将传承。

　　我们谨以《心悦雅集》与天下知音共赏。

　　The Story of Objects of Art from and for the Heart

　　Hei Jinglin

　　I have been dedicated in the collecting of antiques for almost 20 years。 While I have enjoyed success， more than a few of my endeavours have ended in failure。 Yet I have learned a great deal from this passion of mine， and on reviewing my experiences I feel I should share my experience with friends。 Having had more free time lately， I have gathered photographs of nearly 100 objects from my collection into a book。 With help of mentors and friends， I have classified these objects into categories such as jade articles， snuff bottles and other antiques， and titled the book， Objects of Art from and for the Heart。 To publish such a book has long been a cherished wish of my family for generations。

　　My wife and I are not from prominent families， but our love of antiques has been passed down continuously through four generations。 Early in the 20th century， the antiques shops “De Yi Xing” (“virtue， righteousness and thriving business”) and “Le Tian Shang Hang” (“optimism shop”) enjoyed wide repute in Beijing。 Having grown up in such families， we have received guidance from our forebears。 Through diligent education and solid practice， our ability to discern antiques has improved in leaps and bounds。

　　Jade， in Chinese people’s mind， symbolizes five virtues： kindness， righteousness， wisdom， courage， and honour。 These virtues are what humans need also， such that jade works have been our first choice for collection。

　　The auspicious creatures， the qilin and the paradise flycatcher bird， sculpted in white jade， as shown in this book， is my favourite。 It was acquired by chance， but it was also what I had long sought after。 This vividly carved sculpture was once displayed in the Ming-dynasty (1368~1644) imperial palace。 As I observed it I came to realize it was cut from smooth and translucent jade。 This artefact exhibits breath-taking craftsmanship。 The features of the creatures are lifelike。 The gentle and graceful paradise flycatcher has a natural air of nobility。 The qilin， with a book in its mouth， turns its head to look upward， its two eyes gleaming。 It inspires awe among those who see it。 Moreover， the “lin” in my name “Hei Jinglin” comes from the creature’s name， qilin。 The moment I glimpsed this jade artwork， I could not get it out of my mind， even dreaming of it at night。 In the end， I paid a huge price for it。 I grew very excited at this new find for my collection。 I became so fond of it that I could not put it down。 By and by I have developed a deep love for it。

　　Humans preserve fine jade; and in turn， fine jade inspires humans。 In the collecting of jade， we forget worldly concerns。 The unearthly， smooth and gentle quality of jade purifies the human heart， which would otherwise be impetuous。

　　With the passage of time， our vision has broadened and we have extended our collection to include emeralds， snuff bottles and other antique objects。 An ingeniously manufactured opaque white glass snuff bottle with landscape and human figures painted in light rose enamel， as depicted in Objects of Art from and for the Heart， is the prize item in our collection。 Produced with marvellous craft in the Palace Workshop during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736~1795)， the flat bottle has a circular base。 The bottle has bordered pictures of a European landscape with human figures on its front and back。 Outside the borders is winding vines in yellow。 At the bottom is the inscription， “Made during the Reign of Qianlong，” carved in intaglio。 The lid of the bottle is gilded and decorated with sculpted designs of flowers。 The bottle was presumably painted by Chinese court artists or other artisans in the style of Europe paintings， or it could have even been executed by foreign artists。 Both the bottle itself and its decoration are unique。

　　At that time， snuff bottles were produced in Palace Workshop either according to designs approved by the emperor or using designs created by artisans。 The bottle in question was made by the latter。 Firing such snuff bottles in imperial kilns was an extremely complicated and difficult process。 There was a difference of 20 to 30 degrees centigrade in temperature for firing the bottle and the enamel coating。 Too high or too a low temperature could spoil the entire bottle。 When applied to the glass body， the designs were raised on the surface。 When the bottle was fired， the designs lay flat on the smooth surface as if imprinted on the glass body。 Such a technique was beyond the average artisan’s ability。 There has been only one bottle of this type found in the world so far， which has hence enhanced its value。 Apart from its value， the bottle is a token of friendship。 It was my good friend Qin Gong， former member of the National Cultural Relics Appraisal Committee， general manager of the Beijing Hanhai Auction Co。 Ltd。， who， with his keen eye and great determination， tried his best to keep the bottle from going abroad。 So my love for this bottle comes from its beauty and also from my memory of Qin Gong。 In comparison to the jade qilin， this snuff bottle enduringly lingered in my mind。 I could hardly go to sleep or even eat for some time。 I was apprehensive until I acquired it at an auction。 My excitement went beyond words when the bottle became an item in my own collection。

　　Every object you see in Objects of Art from and for the Heart is imbued with my deep love。 When I first saw these priceless objects， I was fascinated by their beautiful form and profound cultural substance。 Each of them was added to my collection at a fortuitous opportunity。 They are like my children。 My love for them is profound and unfailing。

　　Collecting antiques helps cultivate character。 Collectors should be indifferent to fame and wealth。 With a purified mind， one comes to understand that it is not the size of one’s collection， but the beauty contained within it that is significant。

　　My first son Chunyi and second son Chun’en have also developed an interest in traditional Chinese culture。 They have participated in the preparation of this book。

　　We must inherit and preserve the finest of our national culture。

　　I am happy to share Objects of Art from and for the Heart with all who have similar interests to ours。