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Current Exhibition

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Permanent Exhibition

The Fabric of Life: Asian Textiles from the National Palace Museum Collection

Exhibition overview
Textiles are woven into the fabric of our lives, in clothing, everyday items, and home decor. This exhibition showcases select Asian textile artifacts from the Museum collection, organized around three themes: “Wrapping and Containing,” “Adorning and Identifying,” and “Protecting and Blessing.” These themes explore the textiles’ practical functions, social significance, and symbolic meanings, highlighting their diverse roles across time and space.
This exhibition also features a learning zone that introduces basic fiber materials and crafting techniques through actual examples, enlarged illustrations, and tactile exhibits. In consideration of visually impaired audiences, a booklet with both regular text and Braille is provided. Additionally, the “Wedding Attire” section, aligned with the annual theme of the NPM Asian Art Festival, showcases wedding garments from Malaysia to reveal ceremonial traditions as well as people’s wishes for a better life.

* Special thanks to the National Taiwan Museum for generously loaning Taiwanese indigenous artifacts, which has greatly enriched the content of this exhibition.

I. Wrapping and Containing
Textiles are crafted from different fibers through various techniques and fulfill essential functions in daily life. They wrap our bodies, providing coverage and protection. They cover and beautify spaces to create comfortable and aesthetically pleasing environments, thereby setting a specific atmosphere. Moreover, they serve as protective containers for objects, preventing wear while enabling portability.

II. Adorning and Identifying
Textiles serve as crucial markers of social distinction and aesthetic expression. Through the materials, craftsmanship, colors, and patterns of textiles and garments, people enhance their appearance and showcase aesthetic tastes, while revealing their social status and group identity. In particular, those who command power and wealth use magnificent and rare clothing to signify their prestige and authority.

III. Protecting and Blessing
Textiles hold spiritual significance and function across many cultures. Certain textiles are believed to possess special powers to ward off misfortune or illness and protect people through important life stages: birth, coming of age, marriage, childbearing, and death. In addition, the decorative patterns on textiles often carry auspicious meanings and are viewed as bearers of happiness and good fortune.

Wedding Attire
Marriage is an important milestone in life. Traditional Malay weddings blend Islamic faith and local customs, with key ceremonies like “inquiry (merisik),” “proposal (meminang),” “engagement (bertunang),” “marriage contract (Akad Nikah),” and “sitting together (bersanding).” During the wedding banquet, the bride typically wears the elegant baju kurung, consisting of a top and long skirt, complemented by a delicate head-covering and gold jewelry. The groom wears the traditional baju Melayu, featuring a tunic and trousers, with a songket cloth wrapped around his waist and either a tengkolok headdress or songkok cap. The couple sit side by side on a ceremonial dais, exuding the dignity of a king and queen, receiving sincere blessings from the guests.

Digital Encounters with Asian Textiles
Textiles and costumes have long been a manifestation of people’s pursuit of better life and fine taste. Since ancient times, the dyeing and weaving techniques have been greatly influenced by geographical environment, economy, trade and exchange, local customs, etc., thus leading to a rich diversity of textiles. Combining artifacts from the National Palace Museum collection with advanced digital technology, this space invites you to become an artisan at the Textile Workshop, where you can create beautiful classic fabrics. You can also stand in front of the Asian Dressing Mirror to match with the NPM collections and virtually transform your clothes. Be ready to explore the unique charm of Asian textiles!

Exhibition Information

Event Date Permanent Exhibition
Location 3F S304

Traffic Info

Cambodia / 20th century

Ikat ceremonial hanging (pidan) with pavilion, stupa, figure and animal motifs

This five-meter weft ikat silk hanging with mounting rings is an offering for Buddhist temples. Its theme is inspired by Cambodia's Buddhist cosmology of the Three Worlds (Trey Phum), which divides the cosmos into heavens, the human realm, and hells, thereby encouraging good deeds and merit. According to scholarly research, the image depicts the Tavatimsa Heaven, presided over by Indra, the king of gods, with magnificent palaces, temples, and stupas, surrounded by figures, deer, mythical birds, trees, parasols, banners, and other auspicious symbols.

Cambodia / 20th century

Ikat ceremonial hanging (pidan) with pavilion, figure and banner motifs

This vibrant, intricately patterned weft ikat silk textile served as a hanging in Buddhist temple rituals. Its design depicts temple structures with multi-tiered roofs, adorned with mythical naga serpents along the ridges and featuring figures within. In front of the temples stand tall poles with long waving banners that announce important festivals or gatherings.

Afghanistan / 19th century

Embroidered dress with floral and geometric motifs

The traditional Afghan woman's long dress is crafted from a bodice, sleeves, and a skirt. It is often made with brightly colored silk or cotton fabric, adorned with exquisite hand-embroidered patterns, including floral, botanical, and geometric motifs. These vibrant, richly decorated dresses are commonly worn at weddings and festive occasions, symbolizing joy and celebration. Typically paired with loose-fitting trousers and a covering for the head and shoulders, the ensemble not only reflects the region's cultural traditions but also adheres to Islamic guidelines for modest clothing.

Pakistan / 19th – 20th century

Embroidered dress (jumlo) with geometric design

Kohistan, a mountainous region along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, is home to semi-nomadic communities that maintain distinctive textile traditions expressed through festive attire. The women’s black cotton dress (jumlo) features a skirt composed of hundreds of fabric pieces, creating voluminous, layered effects. The bodice is adorned with vibrant silk embroidery, accented with beads, buttons, and metallic ornaments.

Cambodia / 20th century

Ikat hipwrapper (sompot) with geometric patterns

This silk hipwrapper (sompot), about one meter wide and three meters long, is typically worn in the “chong kben” style — a garment common across Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos. The cloth is wrapped around the lower body, passed between the legs, and secured at the back, creating a trouser-like silhouette. The weft ikat technique was employed to make this piece, with patterns resist-dyed onto threads before weaving, producing a soft and slightly blurred visual effect.

Bengal region / 20th century

Embroidered quilt (kantha) wrapper or cover with animal and floral design

“Kantha” is a traditional craft unique to the Bengal region, where women use running stitch to repurpose old cotton fabrics such as dhotis and saris into household items like bedding, wall hangings, and covers. The stitching process creates numerous white lines and a rippling effect on the surface, while colorful embroidered patterns depict a variety of figures, animals, flowers, plants, and vehicles in lively detail. Kantha pieces reflect women's resourcefulness and creativity.

Laos / 20th century

Brocaded blanket (phaa tuum) with geometric patterns

This Laotian blanket (phaa tuum) was made by sewing together two cotton panels. It employs supplementary weft techniques to create colored patterns featuring human figures, animals, and geometric motifs — blending decorative artistry with auspicious symbolism. Such finely crafted household textiles were typically part of a bridal dowry and presented to the groom’s family during the wedding ceremony. They served multiple functions, including shawls, bedding, and baby wraps.

India / 20th century

Dowry bag with floral and geometric embroidery

In the neighboring regions of Gujarat in India and Sindh in Pakistan, nomadic communities are renowned for their exquisite embroidery. Women artisans skillfully use colored silk threads to create floral, animal, and geometric patterns and embellish their work with mirrors, sequins, and beads, yielding vibrant and sparkling effects. This envelope-style bag serves as both a practical accessory and an essential item in a bride's dowry.

Java, Indonesia / 19th century

Patchwork ceremonial coat (kyahi antakusuma) with geometric pattern

High-quality textiles obtained through trade were highly revered across the Indonesian archipelago, and the ruling class would wear or display them to signify their elevated social standing. This patchwork coat (kyahi antakusuma) from Java, constructed from over a thousand fabric pieces, incorporates then-precious Indian kalamkari and European felts. These garments were usually worn by royalty, nobles, or high priests at important festivals and ceremonies, symbolizing authority, spirituality, and protection.

India, for the Indonesian market / 19th – 20th century

Kalamkari skirt cloth (kain sembagi) with gold leaf and floral-geometric patterns

This kalamkari cotton cloth, known as “kain sembagi,” was imported from the Coromandel Coast of southeast India. It features a central field of floral-geometric patterns with rows of triangles at either end, and was designed for Indonesian markets. In Sumatran ports such as Palembang and Jambi, artisans applied gold leaf (prada) to the fabric’s surface to create an opulent effect. Given the cost of gold, gilding was reserved for only the areas visible when the garment was worn.

Sumatra, Indonesia / 19th century

Brocaded shoulder cloth with floral and geometric pattern

The “songket” technique involves the addition of supplementary metal thread to silk weavings. Popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, and other Southeast Asian regions, songket was a symbol of wealth and authority, favored by royal courts as the premier luxury textile. This songket shoulder cloth from Palembang, Sumatra, features a central pattern of diamonds and flowers, with isosceles triangles at both ends, representing bamboo shoots (pucuk rebung) which symbolize vitality and growth.

Bali, Indonesia / 19th – 20th century

Brocaded ceremonial hipwrapper (kampuh) with geometric patterns

This ceremonial hipwrapper (kampuh) from Bali was woven with the songket technique, which incorporates metal threads and colored silk as supplementary weft yarns to form geometric patterns. Traditionally, Balinese songket were made only in royal courts for high-caste nobility. Over time, these luxurious textiles have transcended class boundaries, becoming garments worn for important ceremonies by people across Balinese society, reflecting both aesthetic sensibilities and cultural identity.

Turkmenistan / 19th – 20th century

Child's tunic with embroidery

In Turkmen nomadic tradition, mothers would create vibrantly colored garments for children to wear until the age of four or five as a protective practice. Typically the product of collective female artisanship, these garments feature intricate embroidery enhanced with bells, shells, coins, amulets, and tassels. The decorative elements serve to divert the “evil eye,” shielding the young wearer from illness and misfortune while ensuring their safe and healthy growth.

Thailand / 20th century

Child’s hat with embroidery and pompoms

The Yao people of the northern Thailand highlands, renowned for their intricate embroidery, continue their animistic traditions. Mothers craft cotton hats for infants, adorning them with colorful embroidery and large pompoms. According to local belief, the floral appearance of red pompoms tricks evil spirits into mistaking the child for a flower, allowing them to pass by peacefully without causing harm. As a result, the infant remains safe throughout childhood.

Bali, Indonesia / 20th century

Ikat ceremonial cloth (cepuk) with floral and geometric pattern

The “cepuk,” a ceremonial cloth from Bali whose name signifies “confrontation with divine power,” is crafted from hand-spun cotton using weft ikat techniques. The design is influenced by Indian patola textiles, featuring a red ground adorned with floral and geometric patterns. Triangular teeth-shaped motifs along the borders are believed to ward off evil. The Balinese consider the cepuk to be imbued with protective forces and use it as temple offerings, ceremonial attire, and funerary cloth.

Sumatra, Indonesia / 20th century

Ikat ceremonial cloth (ulos sibolang) with geometric patterns

The traditional “ulos” textiles of the Batak people in northern Sumatra are primarily made from cotton using the warp ikat technique, in which warp threads are bound and resist-dyed before being woven into fabric to reveal patterns. This dark blue-black ulos was used as an important ceremonial cloth, traditionally presented by the bride’s parents to the groom’s father during weddings, or gifted to a daughter in her seventh month of pregnancy, as an expression of care and blessing.

Sarawak, Malaysia / 19th century

Ikat ceremonial cloth (pua kumbu) with crocodile and geometric design

The “pua kumbu” stands as the most refined and sacred textile of Sarawak's Iban people. Woven from cotton through the warp ikat technique, it features patterns inspired by nature, dreams, and spiritual beliefs, incorporating animal, plant, human, spirit, and geometric motifs. The Iban view the pua kumbu as a source of protection and blessing, using it in festivals and rites of passage, and treasuring it as a family heirloom.

Indonesia / 19th – 20th century

Batik cloth with calligraphic motifs

This cotton textile, featuring calligraphic motifs, was intended for Indonesian Muslim communities. It was made using the batik technique, which involves applying molten wax as a dye-resist to preserve the ground color during the dyeing process and form patterns. The design features motifs imitating Arabic calligraphy along with stars, florals, and the double-pointed “Sword of Ali” (Zulfiqar), symbolizing courage, justice, and Islamic faith. Such textiles often served as ceremonial garments, hangings, or coffin coverings. They were regarded as a source of protection during war or illness, and played essential roles in religious and funerary ceremonies.

India, for the Iranian market / 19th century

Kalamkari hanging or mat with arch design

This kalamkari cotton textile originates from the Coromandel Coast in southeast India, where artisans have mastered the use of natural dyes, mordants, and a combination of block-printing and hand-painting techniques to create vibrant and intricately patterned fabrics. Designed for the Iranian (Persian) Muslim market as either a wall hanging or prayer mat, it features an architectural arch filled with floral and teardrop paisley motifs, evoking the image of a garden gateway. The Arabic inscription on the arch reads “Praise be to Allah, the Most High, all praise belongs to Him,” reflecting themes of devotion and the spiritual path to paradise.

Laos / 20th century

Brocaded ceremonial banner (tung) with temple, stupa, figure and animal motifs

The ceremonial banner “tung” is a narrow, vertically hanging flag popular in regions practicing Theravada Buddhism, such as northern Thailand, Laos, Myanmar's Shan State, and southwestern China. Mostly woven by female devotees, these banners are offered to temples during festivals or ceremonies, symbolizing the accumulation of merit for the deceased and blessings for the future. They usually have plain-colored ground with vibrant supplementary weft decorations. Common motifs include religious structures such as temples and stupas, as well as animals, figures, plants, boats, and geometric patterns.