藏界奇人葉茂錢

溫州首家獲政府批準的“葉茂錢收藏館”自改革開放起步，至今已收藏了十大類3萬多件文物，其中《永樂大典》、西周銅鏡、東晉熊獸罐等國家級珍品及五代越窯秘色瓷蓮花壺等百余件文物引起了省內(nèi)外同行們的關注。原中國文物交流中心主任、國家博物館研究員雷從云慕名前來參觀后，大為驚嘆：“《永樂大典》我只在故宮博物院看過，這里是平生第二次看到，還有那兩件東晉熊獸罐和五代秘色瓷壺，都是頂級藏品啊！”看來，“葉茂錢收藏館”真是個“藏龍臥虎”之地。

開設“葉茂錢收藏館”的，便是浙江省瑞安市的收藏奇人葉茂錢。

棄商從文為了文化遺產(chǎn)

葉茂錢是宋代永嘉學派集大成者葉適的后裔，但到了他曾祖父時，由于戰(zhàn)亂饑荒，葉氏家道中落，從此眾多后代成為手工業(yè)者或小商、小販。葉茂錢14歲讀完初一便輟學進廠當學徒，改革開放后他辦過印機廠、皮件廠、皮鞋廠等，在90年代掀起的市場經(jīng)濟大潮中，小有積蓄的葉茂錢“反其道而行之”，他停工廠、退股份，揮戈轉向，竟率全家投身于文物古玩收藏。

親友們以為葉茂錢這一“招”是“另辟發(fā)財蹊徑”，葉茂錢卻笑而不答。人們只是見他節(jié)衣縮食，搜羅各種陶瓷、書畫、古錢幣、古銅器等等“背時廢品”，于是許多人對他的作為無法理解，有人甚至覺得他“玩瘋了！”但他的妻子胡玉琴最理解丈夫的心意，他是為了卻兒時的一個夙愿：他想繼承祖上書香傳家的文脈，收藏文物古玩為世上留存一份珍貴文化遺產(chǎn)。

葉茂錢從小就有收藏天份，六七歲時鄉(xiāng)俗過年，長輩、親友常給孩子壓歲錢或紀念品。不想幾十年過后，當他拿出兒時收到的一盒盒嶄新的紙幣和一本本整齊的連環(huán)畫時，大家都驚訝不已！看來葉茂錢從小就有收藏天賦和收藏情結呢！

葉茂錢學歷不高，但酷愛歷史，很早就感悟文物是文化，文物印證著歷史，每一件文物古玩都烙刻著與個人、家庭、故鄉(xiāng)、社會甚至國家息息相關的生命密碼！文物對于傳承中華文明、教育子孫后代的作用，是金錢無法代替的。他常對家人說賺錢可以生存，但生存在世不能光為了賺錢，我們家搞收藏、保護和鑒賞文物古玩，不但子女可以繼承祖業(yè)，家鄉(xiāng)與歷史也會承認我們的努力和貢獻。

進入21世紀后，在浙江建設文化大省熱潮中，鑒于葉茂錢耗盡心血收藏起來的3萬余件文物，政府正式發(fā)文批準其創(chuàng)辦“葉茂錢收藏館”。由于他收藏的文物實在太多，原有的居家之地無法容納，市委、市政府又特批一座清代房產(chǎn)讓他建立收藏館。至此，葉茂錢終于遂愿，可以在收藏上大展宏圖了！

賑“破爛”驚得《永樂大典》

葉茂錢搞收藏離不開經(jīng)濟基礎，所以平日全家粗茶淡飯，節(jié)衣縮食，把有限的錢全都化在收藏上。當兒女成了家、自己也年過半百之時，面對陰暗潮濕的舊房，他也從不輕言“換房”兩字。由于他節(jié)儉出名，名字又和溫州方言“一毛錢”諧音，因而鄉(xiāng)親們?nèi)加H切地叫他“一毛錢”。不過葉茂錢雖然對自己“吝嗇”，但對于助人和公益卻十分慷慨：左鄰右舍有何難處，他熱情解囊；凡有收破爛的上門探詢或出售，他一律笑臉相迎，并敬茶遞煙或陪飯，就因為這樣的“善舉”，也許是“好心有好報”，他收藏的鎮(zhèn)館之寶《永樂大典》，就是收廢品的趙甲所“牽扯”得來的：那一年收破爛的趙甲的妻子生病，急需上萬元手術費，正當他借貸無門之時，葉茂錢幫他籌到一萬元，趙甲感激涕零，激動地說：“這萬元巨款我一時還不了，你放心嗎？”葉茂錢對他拋出斬釘截鐵一句話：“鄉(xiāng)里鄉(xiāng)親的不說兩樣話，你救人要緊！”趙甲平時就知道葉茂錢為人厚道，凡發(fā)現(xiàn)古舊書籍、字畫都先往葉家送，這次他心存感激，對他收藏的事就更加留心眼了！一天他聽說寧波象山有位水產(chǎn)商從云南帶回了一批抵債的古舊瓷器和古籍愿意出賣，于是趙甲便連夜趕往象山。由于他文化不高，這幾年靠葉茂錢指點，能模模糊糊看懂某些古代瓷器，但對古籍真當一竅不通，當他趕到象山看到水產(chǎn)商捧出要價不菲的《永樂大典》時，趙甲瞪著眼睛呆了半天，好似墜入云里霧里！于是他只好返回瑞安，將此事一五一十地告訴葉茂錢。

葉茂錢得知消息，頓時驚喜萬分！他想，要是水產(chǎn)商捧出的是真正的《永樂大典》，那是稀世珍品啊！原來《永樂大典》是明朝皇帝指令翰林大學士解縉為首的3000學者耗時4年，精心編篡的一部極為珍貴的歷史典籍，計11095冊（22877卷）。不幸此典在嘉靖朝突然失蹤，至今全球發(fā)現(xiàn)的尚不到400冊，而且全是副本。誰料這尋遍天涯難覓芳蹤的歷史巨獻，此刻竟被趙甲發(fā)現(xiàn)了幾冊，真是天賜良機啊！當晚葉茂錢就查資料、籌款項，通宵未眠，后來幾經(jīng)周折，在趙甲的幫助下終于花重金買下了兩冊《永樂大典》，該兩冊分別為第2217卷與14461卷。兩冊《永樂大典》全卷為干筆正楷書寫，紅黑分明。它被專家判為目前存世的唯一正本。其首頁均鈐“徐世章印”“濠園秘藏”兩印，卷末鈐“京師圖書館珍藏之印”，據(jù)葉茂錢考證，徐世章號濠園居士，是民國總統(tǒng)徐世昌的胞弟，歷任民國要職，為書法家兼著名收藏家。也許此書在八國聯(lián)軍入侵時被擄出京師圖書館，經(jīng)徐世章收藏后，又因云南蔡鍔起兵護法而散失于西南。如今在改革開放之年又榮歸葉館收藏，堪稱佳話和傳奇！

當葉茂錢夫婦隆重地邀請趙甲飲慶功酒時，趙甲淚眼盈盈地說：“我有什么功呀？我是被你癡心文物收藏所感動，被你的善心所促成的啊！”

感癡情眾人贈珍品

正當葉茂錢癡情于文物收藏之時，有位臺灣的親友要請他去幫助經(jīng)營，他婉言謝絕了好意，后來巴西的一位親戚邀請他去巴西經(jīng)商，出于對文物收藏的癡迷，他又毅然將這個機會轉讓給姐姐和弟弟。如今，他的弟弟葉茂勝已經(jīng)成了巴西著名僑領，但葉茂錢不為所動，他唯一的要求是請弟弟留心，多為他收集流失海外的文物。葉茂錢還注意培養(yǎng)兒女對收藏文物的興趣，如今他們已成了自己的得力幫手，一子二女大學畢業(yè)后都勤于鉆研，特別是兒子葉曉勇，在瑞安收藏界已經(jīng)顯露頭角。眼看后繼有人，葉茂錢的收藏勁頭更足了。

1997年夏，他聽說紹興一古玩店掛賣一幅乾隆間瑞籍書畫家蔡鏡云任德清知縣時所書的篆字五尺大幅劉禹錫《陋室銘》，于是他忍著暈車嘔吐的煎熬，連夜乘車去紹興將它買來。誠如“千金買馬骨，千里馬常來”一樣，從此圈內(nèi)文友一帶十、十帶百的，都為葉茂錢癡心感動，為葉茂錢收藏出力。有的半賣半送，有的提供信息線索，由此他的購求圈從溫、臺、抗擴展至蘇、皖、閩、廣直至數(shù)千里外的西安、南寧甚至蘭州！

有感于葉茂錢的癡情，瑞安書香之家的老潘伯1998年把滿滿一箱書畫作價1000元讓給他。這真讓他欣喜若狂，因為里面有近百名人的200多幅字畫，包括清代女畫家魯紋的工筆畫花鳥、上海首任文史館館長冒廣生的題聯(lián)、楊紹廉的長卷書法及北大老教授林損的行書等等。

有感于葉茂錢的癡情，有個農(nóng)民要把祖?zhèn)鞯氖畮准盘沾伤偷饺~館。其中有風格獨特的東晉熊獸罐、極為珍貴的元青花瓷等。當這一消息走漏后，有文物愛好者趕到汽車站攔截，愿出五倍以上價格買下，但農(nóng)民就是不賣。此人不解，想問個明白，農(nóng)民笑答：“你買，可能倒賣賺錢；給葉館長，是留存后世，不會流失，所以低價我也要給他！”

葉茂錢的癡心專注，更感動了家鄉(xiāng)的父老鄉(xiāng)親。瑞安中學一位年過八旬教師，家藏祖?zhèn)髯之嫞渲杏忻鞔笏枷爰彝蹶柮鲿ā⑻撇⒗L畫還有康熙皇帝之師傅李光地中堂書法，十分珍貴。他怕子孫糟蹋，要饋贈葉茂錢。葉極喜卻不敢當，薛老只好象征性地收了點錢，算是“賣”給葉茂錢的。

最感人的是鳥嶼鎮(zhèn)一位90高齡黃埔軍校出身的老人，他因兒孫沾染上賭博惡習，便把自己珍藏的隋、唐陶瓷和幾百封名人信扎全部托付給葉茂錢。交點時，老人雙唇哆嗦著鄭重交代：“托付給你，是為了久藏于世，如此我死了也放心。這批名人墨寶有名人晚清的“三黃二孫”、近代的夏鼐、黃賓虹等，其中有把五代越窯秘色瓷蓮花紋壺，為國內(nèi)目前僅存，填補了越窯研究的空白。

就在作者采訪的正月初八夜，又一位文友給葉送來幾面古銅鏡，其中有光亮錯金的漢鏡，有四方銹垢的戰(zhàn)國鏡，還有一面薄薄的花紋拙樸的西周鏡。作者到他家時，他眉笑顏開地打開箱子遞給我看，那神態(tài)仿佛是年輕人娶到天下第一美女一樣直嚷嚷：“我古鏡已有百余面，就是沒有收藏過西周的，這面屬國家一級的鏡，珍貴無比！”

數(shù)年來葉茂錢堅持免費向公眾開館展覽，他租場館、列藏品、配文字、打廣告、作講解，他付出了大量的時間和精力，盡管他與妻兒累得筋疲力盡，但聽著鄉(xiāng)親父老及許多京滬專家的肯定和稱贊，看到藏界朋友年多一年，他就感到心滿意足。

2005年，葉茂錢作為發(fā)起人之一，又為籌建“瑞安市博物館之友聯(lián)誼會”四處奔走。他說，眾人拾柴火焰高，萬紫千紅才是春，協(xié)會很快就發(fā)展了一百多名會員，他擔任了副會長，還編印《收藏之友》。

在2007年市政協(xié)會上，他與葉適紀念館副館長葉偉東一起捐資倡議成立全國首家“中華文物保護貢獻者救助基金會”，葉茂錢語重心長地說：“我們是四兩拔千斤，想為推動全國的文保出點力！”

（本文攝影 葉偉東）

A Dedicated Collector

By Zhang Yi

In Rui’an， a suburban city of Wenzhou which is a port city known all over China for its prosperous private business sector over about the past 30 decades， Ye Maoqian is definitely an anachronistic figure. Unlike most of his contemporaries， he sold his business and put all his fortune into his ambition: collecting cultural antiques.

Ye Maoqian is a descendent of Ye Shi (1150-1223)， a prominent scholar of the influential Yongjia School whose pro-business thoughts in the down-to-earth pragmatism is generally regarded as the pioneering spirit that has turned Wenzhou into a powerhouse of private business since late 1970s.

Ye Maoqian誷 family came down in the world due to war and natural disasters during the time of his great grandfather. From then on， most of his family members were vendors or craftsmen. Ye Maoqian dropped out of school at 14 and worked as an apprentice in a factory. After the reform policy was introduced， he established his own businesses. In the 1990s， he sold his shares and shut down his businesses and turned his interest and fortune to antiques.

At first， his business-minded friends and relatives thought he was just opening a new road for himself to make more money. Seeing him minimize everyday household expenditures to squeeze more cash for antiques， some people thought something went amiss in his mind. But his wife understood him best: Ye Maoqian wanted to inherit the cultural tradition of his ancestors and save antiques as cultural heritage for the country.

As a matter of fact， Ye’s passion for the past valuables dates back to his childhood years. He still has brand-new banknotes he received decades ago as New Year gifts from elder family members and relatives and the comic books he saved as a kid.

Ye is not just inspired by his childhood whimsies for saving things from the good old days. He wants to save cultural valuables from the good old days for the country. This philosophy motivates him.

Today， Ye’s collection holds more than 30，000 pieces classified into ten categories， including about 100 curious pieces of state-class cultural relics. Riding on the wave of turning the province into a giant of culture， the government approved Ye’s application for setting up a private museum. As his collection was so huge， the local government assigned an additional Qing Dynasty house to Ye Maoqian to display his exhibits.

Some valuable antiques came to Ye under seemingly strange circumstances. Ye is the owner of the world’s only two known original volumes of Yongle Encyclopedia. The clue was first dredged up by a waste recycling man named Zhao Jia. Ye Maoqian once helped raise 10，000 cash for Zhao so that his sick wife could have the surgery. The waste recycling man was very grateful for Ye’s generosity. Whenever he got things that looked like valuable antiques， he would present them to Ye first. One day， Zhao heard that a businessman in a neighboring city received a large fortune of antique porcelains and other things from a business partner as payment for debt and now the businessman wished to cash the antiques. Zhao rushed to the neighboring city overnight. He gasped when he learned that the business man had two original volumes of the Yongle Encyclopedia， which would cost a big fortune. Zhao Jia came back to Ye Maoqian with the news.

Ye Maoqian was excited. He knew the encyclopedia of 11095 books in 22877 volumes took 3，000 scholars four years to complete in the reign of Emperor Yongle (1403-1425) of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and it went missing mysteriously when the emperor passed away. Nowadays， there are only about 400 copies found in the world. Ye prayed that the originals should be authentic. Ye spent a sleepless night， trying to raise money through his sources and conducting a crash research on the encyclopedia. With Zhao Jia’s help， Ye Maoqian finally purchased the two originals， which cost him a big fortune. The two originals， volume 2217 and volume 14461， have been evaluated to be authentic.

Some people sold their antiques to Ye for a song. It was not that they did not know the value of the antiques in their keep， but that they knew Ye was the most trustworthy savior in neighborhood to keep their family heirlooms in tact. An experienced collector sold Ye 200 calligraphic works and paintings for just 1，000 yuan. A farmer， who turned down a big offer from an antique dealer， sold a dozen of ancient porcelains to Ye. The farmer explained to the dealer that Ye would save the porcelains for the future but the dealer wanted them only for selling at a profit. A retired middle school teacher aged 80 wanted to give Ye his heirlooms of ancient paintings and calligraphies for free， for fear that his own children would not value the antiques. Ye turned the offer down at first， but the old man insisted and agreed to accept a small amount of money as a token for the deal so that Ye would receive and save the gifts. A 90-year-old man in a neighboring town gave Ye a few extremely precious porcelains of the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) Dynasties and hundreds of letters of celebrities. The old man explained that his grandson was an incorrigible gambler and he entrusted these valuables to Ye so that they would have an opportunity to be kept intact.

Today， Ye’s museum attracts a lot of experts， collectors， and curious people. Some experts even come all the way from Beijing or Shanghai to see the rare collections at the museum. In 2005， Ye and some fellow antique buffs founded an organization for museum fellows. At a meeting in 2007， Ye Maoqian and Ye Weidong， vice director of the Ye Shi museum， joined hands in setting up a foundation for donors of cultural relics.

(Translated by David)