“Gourds grow in long, long trains; Our people grew in the plains. They moved to Qi from Tu...”

“绵绵瓜瓞，民之初生，自土沮漆……”

What if centuries-old relics could come to life as modern Chinese beauties?

This imaginative idea has become a reality thanks to Maodou (pseudonym), a young Chinese vlogger with more than a million followers, who transforms ancient artifacts into living characters through creative makeup videos.

One of her latest works draws inspiration from a painted enamel plate from the Palace Museum in Beijing, also known as the Forbidden City. Originating in France, painted enamel was highly prized by the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) court. In Maodou’s imagination, this art form becomes an elegant noblewoman — a blend of Western charm and imperial Chinese poise — living in the Forbidden City.

“The painted enamel embodies both the enchanting allure of Western fantasy and the resilient spirit of the East,” she said.

在一件故宫博物院收藏的画珐琅花果瓜瓞纹高足盘 (Painted Enamel Stem Plate with Flower, Fruit and Vine Design) 上，象征着子孙繁衍、相继不绝的瓜瓞纹与源自法国的画珐琅工艺相融合，见证了当年世界文明的交流互鉴，彰显着中国传统文化绵延不绝的独特魅力。

那么，假如这件故宫珐琅器拥有灵魂和生命，会是什么样？

在美术生博主“毛豆”的幻想世界里，“画珐琅”是一个生活在宫廷中的贵族女子，举手投足之间既有东方韵味，也有西方风情：“她是一只有着西方幻梦和东方筋骨的梦蝶。”

1.transform / trænsˈfɔːm / v. 使改变形态; 使改变外观（专升本词汇）

例句：It was an event that would transform my life.  

那是能够彻底改变我一生的一件事。——《牛津词典》

2.elegant / ˈelɪɡənt / adj.（人）高雅的；精美的，雅致的（专升本词汇）

例句：She was an elegant and accomplished woman.

她是位优雅的才女。——《牛津词典》

“假如文物是个美人”

Maodou has been fascinated by traditional Chinese culture since childhood and enjoys treating cultural relics as living beings, believing that every relic has its own soul and story to tell — a belief that inspired her video series.

As an art student, she sees her “relic makeup” as the perfect way to blend her artistic skills with her passion for culture.

Her unique approach has quickly captured online attention. So far, her videos featuring national treasures have garnered over 90 million views on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.

金瓯永固杯、画珐琅花果瓜瓞纹高足盘……在毛豆的手下，一件件国宝文物，都化作了一个个带有精致中式妆容的女子形象。如今，她所创作的“文物拟人”仿妆系列视频，播放量已超过9000万。

在从小就喜欢文物的毛豆看来，每个文物都有自己的灵魂。于是，作为美术生的她决定充分利用自己的绘画优势，将这些国宝文物“画”在脸上。

“我是把它们都当作一个个真正的生命来看待，所以想把它们复刻在我脸上的妆容里，让观众体会我们的传统文化与现代妆容的结合，”毛豆说道。

3.passion / ˈpæʃ(ə)n / n.爱恋，情欲；激情，热情（专升本词汇）

例句：Her passion for him was not reciprocated.  

她对他的热情没有得到回应。——《牛津词典》

4. capture / ˈkæptʃə(r) / vt. 获；夺得；n. 战利品，俘虏；捕获（专升本词汇）

例句：He managed to evade capture.

他设法逃脱了抓捕。——《牛津词典》

“我们承载着同样的心愿”

According to the official website of the museum, the cup is a rare artifact that once served as the emperor’s designated vessel for the Imperial New Year Brush-Opening Ceremony, a Qing court ritual in which the emperor began the year’s writing with auspicious characters to pray for good fortune in the coming year. Acclaimed as the pinnacle of gold and silver craftsmanship, the cup is lavishly decorated with baoxianghua, a floral motif symbolizing peace and prosperity, with each flower’s center inlaid with pearls, rubies, and sapphires.

但对于毛豆而言，最触动她的，还是这些国宝文物背后的故事，比如，收藏于故宫博物院的这只金瓯永固杯。

据故宫博物馆介绍，这件金瓯永固杯承载着岁首祈愿的祝福。在清代，它是元旦开笔仪式的御用礼器。自雍正时起，皇帝每至元旦就要到养心殿东暖阁明窗处，亲自书写祈求五谷丰登、国泰民安的吉祥祝语，桌案上的金瓯永固杯中注入屠苏酒，象征社会稳定、国运昌盛。

5. pray / preɪ / v.祈祷，祷告；渴望，祈望；adv.请问，请（专升本词汇）

例句：I’ll pray for you.  

我将为你祈祷。——《牛津词典》

Among all the artifacts she has explored, the one that touches her most is the Jewel-inlaid Gold Cup with “Everlasting Territory” Inscription, also housed in the Palace Museum.

“I was first struck by its beauty,” said Maodou. But when she learned that there were originally four such cups in the Forbidden City — separated during wartime, with only one remaining in Beijing — she felt a deeper connection.

但在查找文物资料的过程中，毛豆也逐渐知道了这件稀世珍宝百年来的经历：它既承载着紫禁城岁首祈愿、时和岁丰的祝福，也见证着山河破碎、国宝流失海外的沉重历史。

其实，“金瓯永固杯”一共是“四胞胎”，故宫博物院收藏的这只是“老四”。虽然这4只金杯的名字、样貌、身份相同，但命运大不相同。

圆明园的两只金杯在1860年被英法联军掠走，后经多次转手，现寄居英国伦敦华莱士博物馆，还有一只目前被收藏于台北故宫博物院，只有故宫博物院收藏的这只，非常幸运地一直住在紫禁城。

“它所承载的国土完整、国家繁荣的寓意，其实和我们现在的心愿其实是一模一样的。”毛豆说道。

6. explore / ɪkˈsplɔː(r) / v.探讨，探究；考察，探索；检查（专升本词汇）

例句：I just wanted to explore on my own.

我只是想独自考察一下。——《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

“It was so sad,” she said. “It was as if four close siblings had been torn apart.”

Therefore, when designing her makeup based on the cup, Maodou merged all four cups into a single face. “I hoped that, at least within the small world of my video, they could be reunited,” she explained.

在了解了金瓯永固杯的经历后，毛豆感到了深深的难过：“就好像四个很好的兄弟姐妹被迫分开了。”

因此，在以金瓯永固杯为灵感设计妆容的时候，她把四个金瓯永固杯的元素融合在一个妆面中，希望至少在她短视频小小的世界里面，它们四个可以重逢。

To recreate the patterns and elements of the cups on her face with a three-dimensional effect, Maodou handcrafted most of the makeup accessories herself. She carefully tested many options to find materials that were both lightweight and durable enough for facial use.

同时，为了在脸上立体地呈现出金瓯永固杯的花纹与元素，毛豆会“手搓”大部分脸上的妆容配件。“我会反复试验这些原材料，去看哪个材料它更适合做在脸上，并且不容易掉。”

7. pattern / ˈpæt(ə)n / n.模式，方式；样式；v.用图案装饰（专升本词汇）

例句：The pattern is essentially the same in all cases.  

这种模式在所有情况下基本相同。——《牛津词典》

8. option / ˈɒpʃ(ə)n / n.可选择的事物；选择，选择权；附件，配件v.买卖（某物的）期权（专升本词汇）

例句：Personally, I prefer the second option.  

就我个人而言，我倾向第二种选择。——《牛津词典》

“这就是年轻人的文化自信”

In addition to online research, she also visits museums whenever possible to observe the relics firsthand. These visits not only help her shape the concept for filming but also deepen her connection with the artifacts.

“These objects were once touched by the warmth of ancient hands, are now gazed upon by our eyes, and might even hear our conversations in museums,” she said.

除了上网查资料之外，为了在妆容中更好地呈现文物的形象，毛豆也会尽可能地去到博物馆观察真的文物，并且希望能在视频中体现一种与时俱进的感觉。

“我相信具有生命力的文物以及非遗技艺，在经历的漫长历史中，也会受我们现代人的一些影响，它们自身其实也是在一个不断进化的过程。”

9. observe / əbˈzɜːv / v.注意到，监视；观测，发现；说话，评论；遵守；庆祝（专升本词汇）

例句：Will the rebels observe the ceasefire？

叛乱者会遵守停火协议吗？——《牛津词典》

Centuries ago, traditional techniques like painted enamel experienced the integration of Eastern and Western civilizations. Today, in a world where cultures continue to interact and learn from one another, Maodou hopes more people around the world can appreciate the enduring and unique charm of Chinese traditional culture.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Palace Museum, and traditional Chinese aesthetics are attracting increasing attention both at home and abroad. Maodou believes this trend reflects a rising cultural confidence.

“As our country grows stronger and more prosperous, people naturally seek a sense of self-assurance,” she said.

平均下来，毛豆完成一期《国之宝藏》的妆造视频大约需要半个月的时间，“可能跟其他创作者相比，我的产出频率不是那么高，但我认为这是我真正想做的，希望可以坚持下去。”

千百年来，在这些国宝文物的见证下，世界文明从未停下交流互鉴的脚步。今年是故宫博物院建院100周年，传统中式美学也日益受到海内外网友的关注。在毛豆看来，这其实就是民族自信的一种体现。

“当我们的国家它足够强大、国富民强的时候，大家就会去追寻自己的自信感。”

文章转自21世纪报公众号

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/81qWG8CZd6ysiWyHRrEGGw

一审一校|莫丽娜

二审·编辑制作|郭玉玮

三审(终审)|汪元飞