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Wang Shizhen (1526-1590), an important historian and litterateur of the Ming dynasty, has many works to his name. Also a devoted member of the arts, he took part in almost all of the major cultural realms of his day. Of particular note was the fact that he astutely observed the flourishing of society in the sixteenth century during the later part of the Ming dynasty. This special exhibition examines the fascinating life of Wang Shizhen and his endeavors, offering a glimpse at the cultural efflorescence of the late Ming that bore witness to exceptional creativity and diverse competition in cultural life at the time. And through the eyes and under the brush of Wang Shizhen as a historian, it offers a unique perspective on the cultural underpinnings of this flourishing age.
 

Construction on the Chengde Summer Resort, also known as the Chengde Mountain Resort or the Jehol Summer Palace, began in the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703). The summer resort was both the largest Qing dynasty imperial garden and also the best preserved among existing detached imperial palaces. As the Chinese name Bishu Shanzhuang suggests, the resort is a place where emperors sought refuge from the Beijing summer heat. However, it was much more than just a summer retreat. The Jehol area where the resort was located was originally Mongolian pasturelands and the frontier between the Qing Empire and north Asia. Between the 5th and 9th month of each year, Qing emperors came here for the autumn hunt and to receive Mongolian and Tibetan living buddhas and noblemen as well as foreign envoys. Many key decisions on state affairs were reached at the Chengde Summer Resort, making it an indubitable center of political power in the Qing Empire, second only to the Forbidden City.

Throughout history, individuals who are particular about taste and aesthetic experience will constantly pursue spiritual delights to elevate the mundane of everyday life. People nowadays still enjoy flower arranging, incense burning, painting hanging, and tea tasting. In fact, these long-lasting activities can be traced back over a thousand years.

Welcome to the magic house of decoration!

You are about to travel back in time to Europe over two centuries ago. In this wonderland, decoration was a magical spell that transformed spaces and objects. This magic, later known as the “Rococo,” drew inspiration from nature and popularized a lighthearted, fantastic decorative style.
 

The average ratio of males to females in the human population of the world today is roughly even, and it goes without saying that the role of women and their contribution to civilization should neither be overlooked nor underestimated. Comparatively speaking, the National Palace Museum collection features not only a wealth of art on the subject of ladies but also a number of exceptional artworks by women themselves. Unfortunately, however, traditional Chinese society was basically developed and dominated by men over thousands of years. Hence, expressions in Chinese emerged such as "men above and women below," "a man’s place is outside and a woman's at home," "a girl's beauty lies in her weakness," and "a girl's virtue is having no talent." They had a profound affect on women and led to many deep-rooted stereotypes, resulting in far too many ladies of talent being stifled and unable to fulfill their potential. Sympathy for and attention to the plight and situation of these women become all the more apparent in the works of art on and by them.

54th WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival, New Media-Websites, Silver Remi　Award Winner

Buddhism started to spread to other parts of Asia in the 3^rd century BC and reached the Han Chinese sphere in the early 1^st century. The religion was introduced into Tibet a few hundred years later in the 7^th century. While Tibetan Buddhism mostly inherited the characteristics of late Mahāyāna Buddhism, which has its origins in India, it also incorporated some elements of Chinese Buddhism and native customs to form a unique belief system.