The National Palace Museum Open Data Platform

Exhibit

Archival documents are not merely records produced by government agencies in the course of their administrative activities but also an important source of materials for the study of policy implementation and the forming of legal institutions. Since ancient times an administrative system has existed to safeguard national archives for auditing purposes and on account of their value as reference materials. In the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), it is noted that King Cheng of the Western Zhou dynasty commanded his officials to store important archives in golden cabinets, indicating that the archive system in China dates back more than 3,000 years. Successive dynasties continued the practice of preserving archives, leaving treasure troves of historical documents for posterity.

Due to their high confidentiality, it was difficult for outsiders to have access to government documents. The Qing dynasty archives in the National Palace Museum’s collection include a variety of official documents from government agencies, resumes and biographies of officials, as well as veritable records, imperial diaries and edicts, and collection of official statutes. As they were considered of great importance in state affairs, such archives were carefully sealed and preserved by the Qing court. When the Manchus came to rule over China they adopted the archival management system of the previous Ming dynasty, and clear and strict regulations for archival practice, such as registering, copying, recalling, repairing, checking, and filing, were spelled out. For example, in consideration of their frequent use by officials and the resulting physical damages, the huge number of archival documents preserved in the Grand Council (Junji chu), which oversaw the highly confidential state affairs, was to be examined and repaired every few years. This provision gives us a sense of the importance the Qing court accorded to the management, maintenance, and preservation of national archives. 

Exhibit

Archival documents are not merely records produced by government agencies in the course of their administrative activities but also an important source of materials for the study of policy implementation and the forming of legal institutions. Since ancient times an administrative system has existed to safeguard national archives for auditing purposes and on account of their value as reference materials. In the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), it is noted that King Cheng of the Western Zhou dynasty commanded his officials to store important archives in golden cabinets, indicating that the archive system in China dates back more than 3,000 years. Successive dynasties continued the practice of preserving archives, leaving treasure troves of historical documents for posterity.

Due to their high confidentiality, it was difficult for outsiders to have access to government documents. The Qing dynasty archives in the National Palace Museum’s collection include a variety of official documents from government agencies, resumes and biographies of officials, as well as veritable records, imperial diaries and edicts, and collection of official statutes. As they were considered of great importance in state affairs, such archives were carefully sealed and preserved by the Qing court. When the Manchus came to rule over China they adopted the archival management system of the previous Ming dynasty, and clear and strict regulations for archival practice, such as registering, copying, recalling, repairing, checking, and filing, were spelled out. For example, in consideration of their frequent use by officials and the resulting physical damages, the huge number of archival documents preserved in the Grand Council (Junji chu), which oversaw the highly confidential state affairs, was to be examined and repaired every few years. This provision gives us a sense of the importance the Qing court accorded to the management, maintenance, and preservation of national archives. 

Exhibit

The works of painting and calligraphy in the National Palace Museum collection are categorized into three levels based on their artistic and other merits. Starting with the most important, these works are "National Treasures," "Significant Historic Artifacts (Significant Antiquities)," and "General Historic Artifacts (General Antiquities)." Since 2008, the Review Committee for Historic Artifacts at the Council for Cultural Affairs (predecessor of the Ministry of Culture) has worked in conjunction with the painting and calligraphy exhibitions at the National Palace Museum to conduct relevant inspections and written reports of the display items. Confirming the works ranked as "National Treasures" and "Significant Historic Artifacts," the results are thereafter made public. Consequently, the number of "National Treasures" has grown considerably over the years, the ones at the National Palace Museum far surpassing those at other institutions in Taiwan.

To present these findings and to promote further knowledge about the ranking of artworks at the National Palace Museum, Gallery 107 at its Main Building in Taipei is being set aside for special exhibitions of "Spotlight on National Treasures." In each rotation, two works of painting or calligraphy ranked as "National Treasures" are placed on display for approximately three months and changed at regular intervals. Should a work belong to the Museum category for "restricted display," however, the viewing period is limited to no more than 42 days.

All of these "national treasures" placed on display are exceptionally important works in the history of Chinese art. The goal of this spotlight exhibit on famous artworks is to promote a better understanding of painting and calligraphy with "National Treasure" status for visitors. In doing so, it hopefully reinforces the importance of conserving cultural heritage for the appreciation by future generations. 

Exhibit

Calligraphy is a unique form of art in the cultural history of the world. Not only used as writing for communication in daily life, calligraphy in China has also long since developed into a comprehensive and independent system of theory and practice. The course of evolution in Chinese calligraphy and its aesthetic criteria has been a subject of attention for centuries. This exhibition presents a special selection of seal script to introduce one particular style in this art form, its changes that have taken place over time, and the different perspectives for its appreciation.

The forms of seal script that emerged in China over the years are many, including ancient writings on oracle bones, bronzes, pottery, tallies, slips and silk, seal faces, coinage, and in stone engravings. Roughly speaking, this style of Chinese calligraphy can be divided in large and small seal script, with writing that appeared before the Qin dynasty unifying the writing system into the third century BCE generally referred to as large seal script. However, clerical script, which had developed and matured between the Qin and Han dynasties, would become the written language of common use. This led to the gradual decline of seal script as the mainstream form of writing, though it was still used for special decorative purposes. Later, starting in the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, running and regular scripts would become the main forms of written communication. And not until much later, in the Qing dynasty, when ancient writing increasingly came to light from excavations, and combined with the influence of pragmatic trends in learning, did calligraphers begin re-investigating the brush methods of seal script in earnest, leading to new developments in this form of Chinese calligraphy.

Even though seal script long ago departed from everyday use in China, it still survives and flourishes today on the basis of its exceptional artistic qualities. The brush methods of seal script may appear simple and the variations of its curving lines limited, but the arrangements and structures of such characters are quite diverse and beautiful. Ranging from squarish to flat as well as irregular forms, seal script remains suitable for use in many mediums. A calligraphy theorist of the Tang dynasty, Sun Guoting (ca. 647-ca. 690), once wrote, "Seal script upholds curving and flowing," identifying two of the obvious and important defining criteria for appreciating it. For seal script to attain a realm of curvilinear beauty and graceful flowing, strokes not only need to have fluidity and body, methods of spatial arrangement must also be accommodated, and only then will the unique aesthetic qualities of seal script be manifest. 

Exhibit

Calligraphy is a unique form of art in the cultural history of the world. Not only used as writing for communication in daily life, calligraphy in China has also long since developed into a comprehensive and independent system of theory and practice. The course of evolution in Chinese calligraphy and its aesthetic criteria has been a subject of attention for centuries. This exhibition presents a special selection of seal script to introduce one particular style in this art form, its changes that have taken place over time, and the different perspectives for its appreciation.

The forms of seal script that emerged in China over the years are many, including ancient writings on oracle bones, bronzes, pottery, tallies, slips and silk, seal faces, coinage, and in stone engravings. Roughly speaking, this style of Chinese calligraphy can be divided in large and small seal script, with writing that appeared before the Qin dynasty unifying the writing system into the third century BCE generally referred to as large seal script. However, clerical script, which had developed and matured between the Qin and Han dynasties, would become the written language of common use. This led to the gradual decline of seal script as the mainstream form of writing, though it was still used for special decorative purposes. Later, starting in the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, running and regular scripts would become the main forms of written communication. And not until much later, in the Qing dynasty, when ancient writing increasingly came to light from excavations, and combined with the influence of pragmatic trends in learning, did calligraphers begin re-investigating the brush methods of seal script in earnest, leading to new developments in this form of Chinese calligraphy.

Even though seal script long ago departed from everyday use in China, it still survives and flourishes today on the basis of its exceptional artistic qualities. The brush methods of seal script may appear simple and the variations of its curving lines limited, but the arrangements and structures of such characters are quite diverse and beautiful. Ranging from squarish to flat as well as irregular forms, seal script remains suitable for use in many mediums. A calligraphy theorist of the Tang dynasty, Sun Guoting (ca. 647-ca. 690), once wrote, "Seal script upholds curving and flowing," identifying two of the obvious and important defining criteria for appreciating it. For seal script to attain a realm of curvilinear beauty and graceful flowing, strokes not only need to have fluidity and body, methods of spatial arrangement must also be accommodated, and only then will the unique aesthetic qualities of seal script be manifest. 

Exhibit

The National Palace Museum has remained passionately devoted to expanding its collection ever since its establishment in Taipei in the 54th year of the Republic of China (1965). In addition to updating our acquisition strategy annually, we also created a donation system that encourages gift-giving by the owners of collections compatible with our mission, so that masterpieces in held private hands may become available for public appreciation. 

Exhibit

Exhibit List：

Snowscape
Ma Yuan (1195-1124), Song dynasty
Spring Clearing After Rain in the Wu Mountains
Wen Boren (1502-1575), Ming dynasty
Thousand Crags and Myriad Ravines
Wang Hui(1632-1717), Qing dynasty
Twin Pines
Shen Zongjing (1669-1735), Qing dynasty
Forest of Ink Marvel Gems
Zou Yigui (1686-1772), Qing dynasty
Traveling Over Rivers and Mountain Passes
Dong Bangda(1699-1769), Qing dynasty 

Exhibit

The tribute system, or "periodic offerings" in Chinese, was historically a unique way in which the court in China engaged with external polities and peoples. In this system, tributary states or groups would send envoys to the suzerain host court in China with offerings on a periodic basis. Envoys, as representatives of their respective people or state, would have an audience with the emperor, receive investiture, and then be awarded with gifts to indicate submission at least symbolically. To illustrate and document its power and prestige, the court in dynastic China often commissioned paintings on the occasions of pomp and circumstance surrounding these tribute missions. The earliest recorded example of such is the depiction of "Envoys Presenting Tribute" by Emperor Yuandi of the Liang dynasty in the Southern Dynasties period. The paintings as a whole express ideas of national power and ethnic cooperation within a distinctly heirarchical framework. Presenting a propagandist view by imperial China of a unified expression in terms of its relationships with other peoples, rulers in the past placed great attention on tribute missions and their byproducts, including the paintings made to illustrate them.

The origins of the official tribute system in East Asia trace back to the pre-Qin period in China. Records of the "Five Domains System" from the Western Zhou dynasty in ancient times present the royal domain as the center of a power base within four concentric rings divided on the basis of blood relations, officials of rank, and geographical proximity. These "Five Domains" forming a heirarchical relationship featured the Western Zhou rulers in the center surrounded by "nobility" and then "dignitary," "non-Zhou," and “wasteland” rings. By identifying and assigning roles between the royal family and nobility, sinicized peoples, and non-Chinese border inhabitants, the system established a means of reciprocal service and obligations that each was to fulfill. From this concentric system of rule from the center emanating outward, a tributary system of power association between "ruler and nobles" and "central and local" would later become the basis for Chinese diplomacy in "international relations" and "ethnic relations." The inherently "unequal relations" and "Sino-centric notions" deep-rooted in this Western Zhou tributary system continued to influence following generations in diplomatic affairs, as reflected also in the records and illustrations that were made. 

Exhibit

The tribute system, or "periodic offerings" in Chinese, was historically a unique way in which the court in China engaged with external polities and peoples. In this system, tributary states or groups would send envoys to the suzerain host court in China with offerings on a periodic basis. Envoys, as representatives of their respective people or state, would have an audience with the emperor, receive investiture, and then be awarded with gifts to indicate submission at least symbolically. To illustrate and document its power and prestige, the court in dynastic China often commissioned paintings on the occasions of pomp and circumstance surrounding these tribute missions. The earliest recorded example of such is the depiction of "Envoys Presenting Tribute" by Emperor Yuandi of the Liang dynasty in the Southern Dynasties period. The paintings as a whole express ideas of national power and ethnic cooperation within a distinctly heirarchical framework. Presenting a propagandist view by imperial China of a unified expression in terms of its relationships with other peoples, rulers in the past placed great attention on tribute missions and their byproducts, including the paintings made to illustrate them.

The origins of the official tribute system in East Asia trace back to the pre-Qin period in China. Records of the "Five Domains System" from the Western Zhou dynasty in ancient times present the royal domain as the center of a power base within four concentric rings divided on the basis of blood relations, officials of rank, and geographical proximity. These "Five Domains" forming a heirarchical relationship featured the Western Zhou rulers in the center surrounded by "nobility" and then "dignitary," "non-Zhou," and “wasteland” rings. By identifying and assigning roles between the royal family and nobility, sinicized peoples, and non-Chinese border inhabitants, the system established a means of reciprocal service and obligations that each was to fulfill. From this concentric system of rule from the center emanating outward, a tributary system of power association between "ruler and nobles" and "central and local" would later become the basis for Chinese diplomacy in "international relations" and "ethnic relations." The inherently "unequal relations" and "Sino-centric notions" deep-rooted in this Western Zhou tributary system continued to influence following generations in diplomatic affairs, as reflected also in the records and illustrations that were made. 

Exhibit

The tribute system, or "periodic offerings" in Chinese, was historically a unique way in which the court in China engaged with external polities and peoples. In this system, tributary states or groups would send envoys to the suzerain host court in China with offerings on a periodic basis. Envoys, as representatives of their respective people or state, would have an audience with the emperor, receive investiture, and then be awarded with gifts to indicate submission at least symbolically. To illustrate and document its power and prestige, the court in dynastic China often commissioned paintings on the occasions of pomp and circumstance surrounding these tribute missions. The earliest recorded example of such is the depiction of "Envoys Presenting Tribute" by Emperor Yuandi of the Liang dynasty in the Southern Dynasties period. The paintings as a whole express ideas of national power and ethnic cooperation within a distinctly heirarchical framework. Presenting a propagandist view by imperial China of a unified expression in terms of its relationships with other peoples, rulers in the past placed great attention on tribute missions and their byproducts, including the paintings made to illustrate them.

The origins of the official tribute system in East Asia trace back to the pre-Qin period in China. Records of the "Five Domains System" from the Western Zhou dynasty in ancient times present the royal domain as the center of a power base within four concentric rings divided on the basis of blood relations, officials of rank, and geographical proximity. These "Five Domains" forming a heirarchical relationship featured the Western Zhou rulers in the center surrounded by "nobility" and then "dignitary," "non-Zhou," and “wasteland” rings. By identifying and assigning roles between the royal family and nobility, sinicized peoples, and non-Chinese border inhabitants, the system established a means of reciprocal service and obligations that each was to fulfill. From this concentric system of rule from the center emanating outward, a tributary system of power association between "ruler and nobles" and "central and local" would later become the basis for Chinese diplomacy in "international relations" and "ethnic relations." The inherently "unequal relations" and "Sino-centric notions" deep-rooted in this Western Zhou tributary system continued to influence following generations in diplomatic affairs, as reflected also in the records and illustrations that were made.