Clothing meets a fundamental human need, and adorning oneself with gold, silver, and gemstones enhances one’s beauty while indicating such things as wealth, status, and aspirations for happiness. The “Refined Radiance” exhibition explores the luster and symbolic meanings of these ornaments, contextualizing them within their material and social frameworks to reveal their deeper significance.
 
The display features Qing dynasty hairpins, necklaces, and belts from the National Palace Museum collection. The first section examines hairpins, tracing their aesthetic development and patterns of use through the era. Subsequent sections highlight both official ceremonial ornaments and everyday adornments. The connections between the exhibits and the contemporary social fabric and ways of life are exposed in order to explore their creation and circulation. The final section also includes traditional diancui kingfisher feather tiaras used in traditional theater, emphasizing the dynamic and complex nature of these objects.
 
Special loans, including robes, from the National Museum of Taiwan History and the National Museum of History are displayed on rotation to better illustrate the role of gold and silver ornaments in traditional attire. We would also like to express our gratitude to the College of Fashion and Textiles, Fu-Jen Catholic University, for providing 20th-century theatrical kingfisher headdresses that allow a glimpse into the transformation of ancient accessories into modern splendor.
 
Lenders: College of Fashion and Textiles, Fu-Jen Catholic University, National Museum of Taiwan History, National Museum of History.