The newly appointed governor of Guling County, whose surname was Ding Mingfang, was a former Qing Dynasty scholar. He had a great hobby in his life, and he liked to collect calligraphy and paintings. Everywhere he went, he had to visit famous local artists and collect folk collections. Not long after he first arrived at the ancient mausoleum, he heard that there was a folk painter surnamed Chen in the west of the county who had ink treasures handed down from his ancestors in his hands. They were rare treasures and never showed them easily. Governor Ding wrote this down in his heart and planned to visit his door on a day.

Let's talk about Chen Chen, a painter in the west of the city, who was forty years old. He was influenced by his family's customs since childhood. In his spare time from farming, he read and painted for his own entertainment. It is a pity that his ancestors did not buy land for their children and grandchildren, and only left a piece of "Descent Tiger" as a family heirloom. This painting was painted by Chen Chen, the 12th generation ancestor of Chen Chen Chen, and has lasted more than 400 years. That Chen Hua was a Ming Dynasty painter who dedicated his life to painting tigers and was as famous as Tang Bohu. Just because Tang Bohu was a genius in the south of the Yangtze River, he ran to the gates of power in the world and was loved by the officials, he was famous in the world, but Chen Hua was trapped in the countryside for a lifetime with a cloth coat and never became famous in his life. When Chen Hua was alive, paintings were never easily given to others, no matter the powerful or rich, they would never flatter. After his death, paintings rarely survive in the world. Chen Chen treasures the things passed down by his ancestors, which are orphans in the family's collection and are regarded as treasures from generation to generation.

One day, Chen Chen was sitting at home when Governor Ding came to visit. The two saluted each other and exchanged names. Chen Chen knew that he was the governor of the county, and he was busy offering tea and seats, which was quite attentive. The two chatted for a while, first about the harvest, then about the weather, which was boundless. I saw Governor Ding bow his hand and say, "Ding has just come to your county, and I heard that my brother has the remains of his ancestors. Today I am here to visit and open my eyes."

Chen Chen walked into the inner room, took out a brocade package, unfolded it layer by layer, and finally hung an old painting on the wall – it was indeed an extraordinary "Descending Tiger"! Under the setting sun, among the strange rocks in the sparse forest, a beautiful tiger with a white forehead was roaring at its neck, truly the momentum of a mountain sky beast and a tiger roaring in the sky.

When Governor Ding saw it, he gave high fives again and again: "Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! It's really a tiger going down the mountain, its momentum swallows mountains and rivers."

Chen Chen saw Governor Ding's praise and said, "The tiger painted by the ancestors back then was not inferior to Tang Bohu. It's a pity that the ancestors lived in the countryside all their lives and did not interact with the world, so they were buried in the world. The old man had a strange habit of painting tigers all his life: he was only a beast king down the mountain, not a tiger up the mountain."

"There must be a reason, right?" Governor Ding couldn't hold back his curiosity and asked.

Chen Chen nodded and continued, "The ancestor did not enter the official career all his life, was indifferent to fame and fortune, and was reckless, and indulged in the remote soil of the countryside all his life. In his opinion, the tiger that went up the mountain was mostly high in the temple, and all kinds of beasts were driven away for it. Weak animals in the forest, avoid them, how dare they be brave in front of the tiger? The tiger that went down the mountain is hungry, living in the mountains and out of the woods, is in the state of foraging for food."

Speaking of this, Chen Chen suddenly stopped, glanced at Governor Ding, and refused to continue.

When Governor Ding saw the painting, his heart was already in love with it. Hearing Chen Chen's words, his heart became more and more itchy, and he thought to himself: It would be a little abrupt to ask him for a painting in his capacity as a parent official; but if he asked, he would not refuse it face to face. So he said obliquely: "I have a lifelong hobby of collecting calligraphy and painting, but unfortunately this painting is passed down by your ancestors!"

Chen Chen was not a stupid person. He understood what Governor Ding meant, and thought to himself: You are an official." I 'm a commoner, how can I take my ancestor's heirloom to flatter people? Besides, if I don't give it to you, do you want to snatch it?

Chen Chen paused for a moment, and his face was full of smiles: "Governor Ding arrived at the ancient mausoleum for the first time, and he was so elegant!"

Seeing that he neither accepted nor refused, Governor Ding felt a little happy in his heart and said with a smile, "I don't know about painting either, it's just arty!"

Chen Chen said: "When my ancestor was alive, he dedicated himself to painting the tiger going down the mountain, and there is also a special attention - the tiger must be hungry in the stomach when it goes down the mountain. After the hungry tiger goes down the mountain, it is bound to harass the people, or destroy people's crops, or hurt people's children. Therefore, people who are officials should not hang it, nor should they collect it."

When Governor Ding heard this, he couldn't hang it on his face, but he said, "Learn! Learn!" In fact, he had another idea in his heart: if he came here for the first time, he would attract words and leave a bad name. In the future, he would slowly associate with him and move him with sincerity.

Governor Ding thought about it and got up to say goodbye. Chen Chen sent him to the outside the small village, and the two of them said goodbye.

Ding Fang had served in Guling for two years and had never asked Chen Chen for a painting again. Before leaving the office, he made a special trip to the Chen family, calling it a farewell, which was actually a request for a painting. After Ding Fang was polite, he said, "Brother, I have ordered him to transfer, and I am here to bid farewell!"

Chen Chen had already heard about Ding Fang's transfer, but he pretended to be surprised: "Governor Ding is an official and has an outstanding political voice, why did he suddenly leave? Is it a promotion, or is he transferred?"

Ding Fang shook his head and said, "I don't dare to hope for promotion. It is the intention of offering the peak, and I will change to another position!"

Chen Chen made a pot of strong tea, and the two talked while drinking. Chen Chen said some words of persuasion, but he didn't want to be flattered. Ding Fang couldn't hear Chen Chen's compliments, so he went straight to the point: "Since I looked at the paintings left by your ancestors for my brother, I have always remembered them in my heart for two years! At that time, I listened to my brother's words and thought that it was not appropriate for a person in the official position to hang a tiger. Today, I left my brother and transferred him, and I will go down the mountain together. I hope my brother will bear to part with me and give the painting scroll to my brother as a souvenir!"

Chen Chen had long heard that Ding Fang had been an official for two years, and his hands and feet were a little unclean. Today, Ding Fang had the audacity to come to the door to ask for a family heirloom. Chen Chen took a sip of tea and said slowly, "Governor Ding, have you ever heard of a local saying'Hidden dragons and crouching tigers will damage your future? In the previous dynasties, there was a servant of the Ministry of Household Affairs who came to the door to ask for a painting of" Descending Tigers "by his ancestors. The ancestor could not shirk it and gave him a painting as a gift. Unexpectedly, that year, the servant was convicted of a crime and was deprived of his family property, so he was sent to the frontier to join the army. The servant suspected that this painting had ruined his future, so he tore the painting and resigned in public. When the ancestors heard this, they swore that they would no longer paint for the officials, and no one in the court would dare to collect the calligraphy and Right now, although he is in middle age, he is still a man of official career, and his future is still important! If it is a small object that fulfills the folk customs of the township, it will be too late to regret it! "

These words were reasonable, obviously rejecting Ding Fang. Suo Hua was rejected, which made Ding Fang a little disappointed.

At that time, Chen Chen smiled and said, "Governor Ding really has a preference for calligraphy and painting, my younger brother has a relationship with you, how dare he take your opinion? There is also a Tigger in the house, which is also a heirloom left by my ancestors, and it is never easily displayed. Now it is in the hands of a friend, and three days later, I will personally send it to the mansion. What do you think?"

Ding Fang was overjoyed and bowed again and again, and words of gratitude could not be said enough.

Three days later, Chen Chen sent a framed painting to Dingzhai in the county seat. Ding Fang hung the painting on the west wall of the living room, the sun shone in through the window lattice, and the antique frame size showed a brilliant color. I saw a beautiful tiger on the cliffs of the peak, with its eyes shining brightly. The tiger's front claws are in the air, its back feet are stepping stones, its ears are upright, and its sword teeth are flashing, and it has the potential to jump into the mountain stream.

Ding Fang looked at it for a long time and applauded, "Ding has lived in the official career for a long time, but he is only the governor of a small county. If there is no tiger jumping, when will there be a chance to surpass himself?" He turned around and asked, "Is this the real work of your ancestors?"

"According to the ancestors, this is the only one!" Chen Chen replied.

Ding Fang carefully looked at the picture, the frame size of the signature is Daming Chenghua Yiyou. The seal is: Ancient Mausoleum Chenghua. Ding Fang is sure in his heart, the current banquet to entertain Chen Chen. The two push the cup for a cup, drunk to rest.

After Ding Fang was transferred for a year, he was indeed promoted. Besides, Chen Chen has an only son, Chen Wan, who is a farmer at home. When he heard that Ding Fang was transferred to the provincial capital, he said to his father, "Father, you and Ding Fang are close friends. You once gave him the heirloom of your ancestors. Now why don't you ask him to find a job for me in the provincial capital?"

Chen Chen closed the door, looked at his son, and suddenly laughed strangely: "Where is that painting from my ancestors? It's a copy of my past!"

The son asked, "What about the signature and seal? And the old smoke stains?"

Chen Chen said: "The signature can be imitated, and the seal can be made. Using smoke and sun exposure as old techniques is almost authentic. How could I give him the original work of my ancestors!"

The son was dubious, thinking that his father would not accept him.

After another year, Ding Fang was fired and investigated. It is said that Ding Fangzhi was planted on the "Tigers" given to him by Chen Chen. The official who accepted the "Tigers" gave the painting to his boss. The boss was a caring person. He found someone to identify the painting and identified it as a fake. He couldn't help but be angry and secretly checked and dismissed the officials who fooled him. It also echoes the old saying that success is a matter of failure.

As a commoner, Chen Chen's life was uneventful and uneventful.

After Ding Fang was dismissed, Chen Chen said something meaningful to his son: "Any tiger that jumps in a stream must be forced by the situation! Those who can jump over a cliff will be spared from death; those who cannot jump in a deep stream will be crushed to pieces and fall to death! Governor Ding claims to know painting, but in fact he doesn't know painting!"