Taiwan's National Palace Museum celebrates centennial with 3 exhibitions

Taipei, Oct. 21 (CNA) Taiwan's National Palace Museum (NPM) has launched three exhibitions to mark the centennial anniversary of its founding in Beijing in 1925 and the 60th anniversary of its relocation to Taiwan.

The museum introduced the exhibitions at an event in Taipei on Monday, where director Hsiao Tsung-huang (蕭宗煌), recounted the NPM's journey and paid homage to those who have contributed to its preservation efforts.

"The treasures and relics the museum holds are precious, but the professionalism and selfless spirit of contribution that have been passed on are invaluable," he said.

Among the exhibitions is "Two Hundred Treasures: Song Dynasty Rare Books in the National Palace Museum," which showcases books produced following the development of woodblock printing.

It features rare editions from China's Song dynasty (960-1279) and highlights recent research achievements from what the museum describes as the "golden age of printing."

According to the NPM, this is the most comprehensive exhibition of its Song dynasty book collection in the museum's history, with the largest number and finest examples of rare editions on display.

The exhibition's first term runs through Jan. 4, followed by a second term from Jan. 10 to April 12. More than 100 volumes will be exhibited, the museum said.

Another of the three exhibitions is "An Assembly for the Ages: The Legend of the Northern Song Elegant Gathering in the Western Garden," which runs until Jan. 7.

The exhibition presents paintings and calligraphy by and related to renowned members of the Chinese literati such as Su Shi (蘇軾), Huang Tingjian (黃庭堅), and Mi Fu (米芾), along with later copies that reflect their enduring artistic legacy. It also showcases a painting titled "Five Horses" by Li Gonglin (李公麟), on loan from the Tokyo National Museum.

Asami Ryūsuke, deputy director of the Japanese museum, said the painting had long been lost during the 20th century before it was donated to the museum in 2017, adding that this exhibition marks its first overseas display.

Meanwhile, "Enduring Legacy: A Centennial Celebration of the National Palace Museum," jointly organized by the NPM's northern and southern branches, runs through March 1, 2026.

It features more than 100 masterpieces, including paintings, calligraphy, antiquities and rare Song dynasty works such as "Travelers among Mountains and Streams," "Early Spring," and "Wind in Pines among a Myriad Valleys."