Chapter 397 (1/2)
Dismantling
Many people thought that the patterns on the pots and other artifacts were purely for decoration or to include the tribe’s symbols. Shao Xuan felt the same before, but, after some experience with them, Shao Xuan found that the patterns contain a lot of mysterious things.
Therefore, as he faced this cauldron, Shao Xuan thought that it would show all about an Anba City slave owner’s great achievements, heroic deeds and such. Or maybe a record of some commemorative events, but when he carefully observed, he only found that there were many parts he couldn’t understand.
For now, he could understand just the words containing some of the glorious history of Anba. Although there were a few words he couldn’t understand, it did not affect his understanding of the phrase as that was just a praise of the ancient Anba tribe, as well as a few words of congratulations. There were also the cloud patterns on the cauldron that seem to act as decorations- however, they were giving Shao Xuan a very weird feeling.
There were many tribes who liked to use cloud patterns back on the other side, probably because these vortex clouds could be used as both a decoration or background filling. However, it also had a structural complexity and mystique, giving way to a casual and diverse style. This cloud-decorated flat cauldron had its upper end full of these cloud patterns that were more slender and complex. Each of the cloud vortex swirled towards the center, some like cirrus clouds, some like cumulus clouds. Several patterns were composed of simple swirls continuously going up and down and repeatedly overlapping each other but in a more natural way.
It was much more complex than the cloud patterns used by the tribes on the other side. It was the most complex natural cloud pattern Shao Xuan has ever seen.
At first glance, this pattern was very beautiful, but there were no big designs like those larger words to attract people. However, as you stared at those cloud swirls, it drew you in. It was an inexplicable sense of visual shock.
As decorations, their purpose has been achieved, but was it really made just for that?
Shao Xuan stared at the decorations on the cauldron’s body for a while. He wanted to copy those complex and dense clouds, but there was no paper or anything like that around him. Using animal skin was too extravagant, so Shao Xuan got up to go out and found some long, wide leaves. He brushed paint on the designs on the cauldron, then used the leaves to print it on and wait for the pattern to appear clear on the leaves. Shao Xuan then transferred the painted clouds on a piece of cloth.
The cloud patterns were not only on the three-legged cauldron’s body but also on its feet. There were also cloud patterns there but unlike the slender and complex ones on the body, the patterns on the feet were thicker, appearing more prominent.
He heard that the man who made the cauldron was a Xia person, who liked cloud patterns. As far as Shao Xuan knew, the cloud pattern was one of the earliest patterns produced. It seems that every tribe that uses cloud patterns has a very long history.
The flame pattern of the Flaming Horns tribe was made in the earlier times too. However its use was not as wide as the cloud patterns, because the cloud patterns have equilibrium. It has a sense of movement and harmony that its continuous and overlapping lines would not appear abrupt. It was only that it was casted by the Xia people, hence, the cloud patterns seem to contain something more.
Nothing was going on with the tribe, as it’s almost winter. There would also be fewer outings, so Shao Xuan had more free time to study these.
After copying all the cloud lines on the cauldron’s body on two pieces of cloth, Shao Xuan also went to the shamaness to ask her for some of the older records on Xia. It’s just that the shamaness didn’t know much, and could only lend records from the ancestors from hundreds of years ago. The problem was that these records handed down were mostly written by the shamaness using the text on the other side, rather than the local text on this side.
Unable to get much help he wanted from the shamaness, Shao Xuan could only ponder to himself first.
As he studied these clouds, Shao Xuan felt as if he was back to the time he was learning divination through knot prediction. Everything in the world was full of order and rules, whether it is the beasts in the forest, or the people from various places. The physical functions of the body ran smoothly because there was order.
A person’s audio, visual, smell and other perceptions also have their own functions that are kept in order by the brain. It could exert even a slight influence on people’s creativity, resulting in a variety in arts and skills. This sense of order has also formed the creation of the symbols and patterns, like the cloud patterns Shao Xuan was now looking at.
Much the same but not as messy.
People who created such complex and natural cloud-lined graphics must also pursue a sense of balance and order in their creations, so that this kind of cloud pattern on the cauldron’s body could be produced.
So, under that order, in the end, what did such a complex combination of cloud patterns stand for?
Shao Xuan stared at those cloud lines all day but still failed to see anything. After not much progress, Shao Xuan went to the woods to pick up some leaves. The leaves that fell on the ground had yellowed but had not withered yet. The leaves were wider, each piece larger than the palm of an adult, and thicker.
After picking up the leaves and returning, he dried them up to save as spare.
At the same time, Shao Xuan also made a square sand tray. The tray of sand was about a meter square in area, he used a sieve to get sand fine enough for drawing. Then, with a branch, he drew in the sand tray.
The clouds looked very complex together so Shao Xuan attempted to divide the pattern into a few sections. He drew them all separately in the sand tray. Just like that, he then drew individual patterns on a leaf too.
It took five days for Shao Xuan to copy the patterns on the cauldron. It was just the beginning of disassembling and assembling the patterns. He didn’t know if it was right as he had no way to compare if it was right or wrong. If there was a more complex pattern, it was even harder for Shao Xuan to interpret it.
For five days, he had spent all those times on dismantling and analyzing the clouds, except for eating and drinking and taking care of his body needs. When he finally finished painting the last cloud, Shao Xuan was tired. The shadows under his eyes were more obvious. After eating a large pot of boiled broth and a good night’s sleep, he came out of his house.
The sunshine outside was not as bright as it used to be. But for Shao Xuan, who had been in the house for five days, it was glaring.
As he went back inside, Shao Xuan was planning to go to the other places at the foot of the mountain to relax his nerves. His muscles had been tight from not moving much, so perhaps a walk around would also give him a little inspiration.
Recently the weather has been getting cooler and the temperature change compared to the previous day could be felt almost every day.