As an antique collector, Ma Weidu’s love for antiques is unquestionable. Ever since he saw Emperor Yongzheng's royal table for the first time, he had wanted to buy it, but the price at that time was sky-high for him. He also knew that if he missed it this time, he would never see it again, so he wanted to let his friend Buy it first and buy it back later when you have the money. After that, I finally saved enough money and bought it, so I didn’t miss this treasure. This imperial table is the Wanzi Table, which was originally placed in the Wanzi Palace of the Old Summer Palace.
Emperor Yongzheng ordered the construction of the Wanzi Palace, also called the Wanzi Fang, which is located on the west side of the Xinghuachun Pavilion in Yuanmingyuan. The Ten Thousand Character Room is also a unique scene in the Old Summer Palace. As Yongzheng's favorite palace, the furniture must be extraordinary. The metaphor of furniture is in line with the theme of Yongzheng's inscription for the Wanzi Fang, "All directions are peaceful".
With great efforts, the craftsmen use ultra-high craftsmanship to use small pieces of wood to piece together the surface of the table. The surface of the table displays a swastika pattern, which fits the theme perfectly. The table top is made of high-quality wood such as gall wood and rosewood. The special skills at that time prevented the table from cracking after so many years, which is also a reflection of the wisdom of ancient craftsmen.
Since this process requires a lot of manpower and material resources, only a few pieces were made and no more were made. Except for a few pieces in the Forbidden City, this one has been found outside the Forbidden City, which shows how precious it is. In the late Qing Dynasty, the Empress Dowager Cixi rewarded it to ministers, and this table came out of the palace. The table that was originally customized for the emperor spread to the public over time, allowing ordinary people to have a look. Ma Weidu has a sharp eye and can recognize the value of this table.