“100 Treasures, 100 Stories” of the National Palace Museum (NPM) had its press conference at the National Museum of the Czech Republic on September 12. NPM Director Tsung-Huang Hsiao, Deputy Director and Curator Pei-Chin Yu, along with Michal Lukeš, Director General of the National Museum of the Czech Republic, Curators Ondřej Crhák and Heroldová Helena, among other representatives of curatorial teams attended the event. The stories of cherrypicked NPM artifacts and the journey for the curatorial partnership of both parties were introduced to the press at home and abroad on site, demonstrating the fruitful achievement of the bilaterial cultural exchange between Taiwan and the Czech Republic.
In his remark, Director General Michal Lukeš of the National Museum of the Czech Republic noted that upon his first visit to the NPM twenty years ago, he had had this dream to bring NPM artifacts to the Czech Republic to share with audience, and now the dream came true. This exhibition features 131 precious NPM artifacts, including the most popular national treasure, Jadeite Cabbage, which debuted in Europe for Czech to appreciate in depth the rich tapestry of Chinese culture. It is a rarity to see NPM treasures on display beyond Taiwan, which comes with rigorous terms and conditions for exhibition, Director General Michal Lukeš stressed, and that as the Director General of the Czech National Museum, he is deeply honored and proud to see his museum to be one of the few qualified museums. He extended his heartfelt gratitude to NPM Director Tsung-Huang Hsiao, the curatorial teams of both parties, and all the participants for support and contribution to this exhibition of extraordinary significance. Meanwhile, Michal Lukeš promised that after the exhibition, he will escort Jadeite Cabbage and other NPM artifacts himself, ensuring a safely return of all the treasures back to the National Palace Museum.
According to NPM Director Tsung-Huang Hsiao, Director General Michal Lukeš of the Czech National Museum visited Taiwan in 2003 and expressed his desire for NPM artifacts to be exhibited in the Czech Republic. Nevertheless, since things were not in place for such matter, the Council for Cultural Affairs then recommended the National Taiwan Museum (NTM) instead to curate the exhibition “A Thousand Faces of Formosa─The Nature and Tradition of Taiwan” in the Czech Republic. The then NTM Director Tsung-Huang Hsiao went to the Czech Republic to host the opening as well. Twenty years later, the Czech National Museum has transformed into an exhibition venue with international expertise. Their curatorial team and exhibition design are especially impressive. In addition, the Czech government passed the bill for immunity from judicial seizure in April 2024, which contributed to the grand exhibition of the precious NPM artifacts. For this exhibition, the curatorial teams of both parties, unshackled from the previous axis of historical context with a curatorial model of showcasing imperial collections of various dynasties. With the NPM collection spanning eight millennia, the exhibition departs from commoners’ perspective, curated around ten topics relevant to contemporary life, with an aim to bring the cultures of the East and the West closer. The venue is artfully crafted. The portraits of the Qing Emperors sit at the entrance. While Pair of Cloisonné Enamel Lions stand guard at the front, the large-scale painting of Lion crouches at the exit. As such, they also echo with the lion on the coat of arms of the Czech Republic that symbolizes courage, exhibiting the profound significance in the Taiwan-Czech cultural dialogue.
The Curator and NPM Deputy Director Pei-Chin Yu specifically introduced the highlights of this exhibition to the press presented. The NPM collection originated from the imperial collection of the Qing Empire, during which the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong reigns had the most frequent exchange with the western civilization. Hence, the visuals at the entrance embody the Qing court’s encounter with the world in the 18th century. The first exhibition highlight is the curio cabinet, Cabinet of Curiosities with Antiquities and Works of Art, which comes with 25 and 47 miniatures each. With each piece sitting in its own place, fully demonstrating the delicacy of the Qing collection, it is also known as “emperor’s toybox.” For instance, the exhibited perfume bottle, with timepiece integrated in its design, reflects the transmission of the intricate western craftsmanship into China by the European missionaries in the 18th century. There are also shells, among others, signally the Qing court’s contact with the world. Besides the Chinese crafts, the cabinet also contains western products, reflecting the interaction between the East and the West. The collection style overall coincides with the cabinet of curiosities of European royalties.
As NPM Deputy Director Pei-Chin Yu illustrated, another exhibition highlight is Along the River During the Qingming Festival, Qing court version, the only national treasure designated by the Ministry of Culture in this exhibition. Spanning 1100 cm, the painting features over 4000 figures, completed jointly by five Qing court painters in 1736. Although the original work is the classical masterpiece by Zhang Zeduan in the Northern Song Dynasty, through the reinterpretation of the Qing court painters, the scene in the painting is converted into the bustling period of Qingming. Coupled with the “High-Resolution Interactive Artifact Table” and digital projection of “Painting Animation: Up the River During Qingming,” the exhibition offers European audiences a complete panorama of folks from all walks of life and urban prosperity in the painting.
According to the NPM, “100 Treasures, 100 Stories” is on display at the National Museum of the Czech Republic till December 31, echoing with the “Taiwan Culture in Europe 2025” organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Culture. Centering around the curatorial statement “Storytelling via Artifacts,” the exhibition features 10 topics, opening the first window to the NPM for European audiences through 131 precious artifacts and stories.
The exhibition highlights encompasses the popular national treasure known to all, Jadeite Cabbage, which testifies to the jade artisan’s ingenuity and exceptional craftsmanship, and Cabinet of Curiosities, known as “emperor’s toybox,” which resembles the cabinet of curiosities of European royalties, manifesting the elegant amusement in the Qing court’s collection. “Science in Ancient Art and Craft” introduces the marvelous effect of ancient mirror craftsmanship that projects patterns with a ray of light. “Landscape in Art, Battle of Red Cliff” recounts the popular story of the Red Cliff and how it became a creative source of inspiration for paintings and crafts. “The Elegant Lifestyle of the Scholar-Official in Ancient China” reveals the taste of literati and aesthetics in objects. “Everyday Life” sheds light on the everyday life of people from different backgrounds. “Supernatural Beings” explores the Eastern imagination towards supernatural beings. As an especial response to the cultural imageries familiar to the Czech audience, “Pets in the Palace,” “The Lion – Mighty Protector,” and “A Strong Carp Heralds Success” open a new chapter in the Taiwan-Czech exchange with fascinating stories of NPM artifacts.
Media Liaison of the National Palace Museum
Emily Wang +886 2 2881 2021 #68991 Email:
emily@npm.gov.tw
Wan-Yu Yang +886 2 2881 2021 #68900 Email:
yuyang@npm.gov.tw