The National Palace Museum Open Data Platform

Exhibit

According to the definition given by the ROC’s Ministry of Culture in its “Cultural Heritage Preservation Act,” the works of painting and calligraphy in the collection of the National Palace Museum belong to the category of “Historic Artifacts (Antiquities).” This means they are art objects with cultural importance representing the work of particular groups of people from certain periods of time over the course of history. These objects are further divided and classified into three groups, from the most important one of “National Treasures” to that of “Significant Historic Artifacts (Significant Antiquities)” and finally “General Historic Artifacts (General Antiquities).”

The task of ranking artifacts begins with the departments of each public institution in charge of their care. By the end of 2005, the National Palace Museum had already completed the initial classification of artifacts in its large collection. Afterwards, beginning in 2008, members of the Review Committee for Historic Artifacts at the Council for Cultural Affairs (the forerunner of the Ministry of Culture) worked in conjunction with painting and calligraphy exhibitions at the National Palace Museum to conduct inspections and written reviews confirming the works ranked as “National Treasures” and “Significant Historic Artifacts,” thereafter publicizing the results. As of July 2017, a total of 184 “National Treasure” works/sets and 352 “Significant Historic Artifact” works/sets in the category of painting and calligraphy have been approved and declared. 

Exhibit

To meet the need for recording information and ideas, unique forms of calligraphy (the art of writing) have been part of the Chinese cultural tradition through the ages. Naturally finding applications in daily life, calligraphy still serves as a continuous link between the past and the present. The development of calligraphy, long a subject of interest in Chinese culture, is the theme of this exhibit, which presents to the public selections from the National Palace Museum collection arranged in chronological order for a general overview. 

Exhibit

The National Palace Museum, since opening in 1965 at its new home in Taipei, has made considerable effort to expand the collection. Not only has the Museum over the years planned an acquisition budget used to make purchases of cultural artifacts to complement the holdings, it has also established a means by which to accept donations and entrustments. All those with cultural artifacts that meet the collection needs of the Museum are encouraged to donate or entrust them so that private treasures can come into public view to be shared in appreciation by society as a whole.

The gallery here is devoted to a selection of some of the finest works donated and entrusted in the past to the National Palace Museum. Allowing people to know more about and study these exceptional additions to the collection, it gives the general public an opportunity to truly appreciate cultural heritage. This selection of works include moving depictions of animals fleeing in danger and distress, an early Qing impression of scenery at Mt. Lu, derivations of the Guo Xi landscape style in popular painting, and a landscape fan painting by a woman artist of the early Republican period. The National Palace Museum hereby expresses its appreciation to the people and organizations who have unselfishly donated and entrusted their precious works for the public good and, with this exhibition, encourages others to continue doing so and make it a museum truly of and for the people. 

Exhibit

Using new media art technology, this exhibit displays from every angle the details on the Jadeite Cabbage, an item in the NPM collection which fully demonstrates the ingenuity of Qing dynasty jade craftsmanship.

Accompanied with spirited music in the background, the audio-visual preview allows audience members to appreciate the majesty of NPM treasures prior to stepping into the physical exhibition space. 

Exhibit

Chinese legend says that when a bear reaches the age of 500, it can transform into a myriad manifestations. Supernatural stories such as this may be difficult to believe today, but the bear as a symbol of physical strength has long and deep roots in the history of traditional Chinese thought.

In conjunction with the 2017 Taipei Summer Universiade, the mascot for which is "Bravo," a Formosan black bear, the National Palace Museum is presenting a special display of artworks in its collection featuring bears. Examples include from the Wu to Western Jin period a bear-shaped celadon lamp and a dish supported by small bears most likely used as a lamp as well. In the Qing dynasty, there are also bear-shaped vessels in bronze and jade that demonstrate the Qianlong emperor's innovative reworking of tradition based on an ancient Han dynasty bronze bear in his collection. Also, a jade carving of a boy and a bear in embrace show the skillful use of black and white parts in the original mineral to suggest the two are dancing. These works in three different materials present fascinating moments that vie to bring out the combination of beauty and power for the bear in Chinese art. 

Exhibit

In 1684, early during the Qing dynasty, the Kangxi emperor embarked on his first southern inspection tour and one his stops was Qufu, the hometown of Confucius (551-479 BCE), the most celebrated teacher and philosopher in Chinese history. While there, Kangxi presented a plaque in his own writing with "Teacher Exemplar for a Myriad Generations," which was hung in the Hall of Great Achievement at the Temple of Confucius. In the following year, the court ordered that rubbing copies be made of the plaque and presented to all temples in the country dedicated to Confucius. Thereafter, "Teacher Exemplar for a Myriad Generations" would become synonymous with Confucius. Today, the plaque for "Teacher Exemplar for a Myriad Generations" hanging at the Hall of Great Achievement in Tainan’s Temple of Confucius, the earliest one in Taiwan, is also its largest.

The ancestors of Confucius descended from kings of the late Shang dynasty through nobility in the Song state, but Confucius himself was born in Lu. In Chinese, his surname is Kong (from the family name Zi), personal name Qiu, and style name Zhongni, with later generations referring to him as Kongzi ("Master Kong") or Kongfuzi ("Grand Master Kong"), from which his Latinized name derives. A philosopher and educator who lived during the Eastern Zhou dynasty, Confucius was an important scholar as well. He edited The Book of Poetry and The Book of Documents, added commentaries to The I Ching, established official rites and music, and compiled The Spring and Autumn Annals, having a hand in many of the classics that would become required reading among later generations preparing for the civil service examinations. As a result, Confucius came to exert an enormous influence in Chinese culture. And people even in Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Southeast Asia were impacted by his teachings, forming a sphere of Confucian culture. 

Exhibit

In 1684, early during the Qing dynasty, the Kangxi emperor embarked on his first southern inspection tour and one his stops was Qufu, the hometown of Confucius (551-479 BCE), the most celebrated teacher and philosopher in Chinese history. While there, Kangxi presented a plaque in his own writing with "Teacher Exemplar for a Myriad Generations," which was hung in the Hall of Great Achievement at the Temple of Confucius. In the following year, the court ordered that rubbing copies be made of the plaque and presented to all temples in the country dedicated to Confucius. Thereafter, "Teacher Exemplar for a Myriad Generations" would become synonymous with Confucius. Today, the plaque for "Teacher Exemplar for a Myriad Generations" hanging at the Hall of Great Achievement in Tainan’s Temple of Confucius, the earliest one in Taiwan, is also its largest.

The ancestors of Confucius descended from kings of the late Shang dynasty through nobility in the Song state, but Confucius himself was born in Lu. In Chinese, his surname is Kong (from the family name Zi), personal name Qiu, and style name Zhongni, with later generations referring to him as Kongzi ("Master Kong") or Kongfuzi ("Grand Master Kong"), from which his Latinized name derives. A philosopher and educator who lived during the Eastern Zhou dynasty, Confucius was an important scholar as well. He edited The Book of Poetry and The Book of Documents, added commentaries to The I Ching, established official rites and music, and compiled The Spring and Autumn Annals, having a hand in many of the classics that would become required reading among later generations preparing for the civil service examinations. As a result, Confucius came to exert an enormous influence in Chinese culture. And people even in Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Southeast Asia were impacted by his teachings, forming a sphere of Confucian culture. 

Exhibit

In 1684, early during the Qing dynasty, the Kangxi emperor embarked on his first southern inspection tour and one his stops was Qufu, the hometown of Confucius (551-479 BCE), the most celebrated teacher and philosopher in Chinese history. While there, Kangxi presented a plaque in his own writing with "Teacher Exemplar for a Myriad Generations," which was hung in the Hall of Great Achievement at the Temple of Confucius. In the following year, the court ordered that rubbing copies be made of the plaque and presented to all temples in the country dedicated to Confucius. Thereafter, "Teacher Exemplar for a Myriad Generations" would become synonymous with Confucius. Today, the plaque for "Teacher Exemplar for a Myriad Generations" hanging at the Hall of Great Achievement in Tainan’s Temple of Confucius, the earliest one in Taiwan, is also its largest.

The ancestors of Confucius descended from kings of the late Shang dynasty through nobility in the Song state, but Confucius himself was born in Lu. In Chinese, his surname is Kong (from the family name Zi), personal name Qiu, and style name Zhongni, with later generations referring to him as Kongzi ("Master Kong") or Kongfuzi ("Grand Master Kong"), from which his Latinized name derives. A philosopher and educator who lived during the Eastern Zhou dynasty, Confucius was an important scholar as well. He edited The Book of Poetry and The Book of Documents, added commentaries to The I Ching, established official rites and music, and compiled The Spring and Autumn Annals, having a hand in many of the classics that would become required reading among later generations preparing for the civil service examinations. As a result, Confucius came to exert an enormous influence in Chinese culture. And people even in Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Southeast Asia were impacted by his teachings, forming a sphere of Confucian culture. 

Exhibit

To meet the need for recording information and ideas, unique forms of calligraphy (the art of writing) have been part of the Chinese cultural tradition through the ages. Naturally finding applications in daily life, calligraphy still serves as a continuous link between the past and the present. The development of calligraphy, long a subject of interest in Chinese culture, is the theme of this exhibit, which presents to the public selections from the National Palace Museum collection arranged in chronological order for a general overview.