Taipei temple hosts 'Three Taoist Officials' digital art experience

Taipei, Jan. 18 (CNA) Taipei's Songshan Feng Tian Temple, in collaboration with the National Palace Museum (NPM), has launched a digital art exhibition centered on the "Three Taoist Officials," inviting visitors to explore the deities' world through a modern, immersive experience.

The exhibition features a digital rendering of the renowned painting "The Three Taoist Officials Making an Inspection Tour" by Song Dynasty painter Ma Lin (馬麟, 1127-1279), which is part of the NPM collection and exemplifies a unique integration of art and religion, NPM Director Hsiao Tsung-huang (蕭宗煌) said at the exhibition's opening on Saturday.

The exhibit is a natural fit for the Taoist temple -- a so-called Temple of Heaven that worships the Jade Emperor -- which also venerates the "Three Taoist Officials," Hsiao added.

The painting depicts the Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water on a grand inspection tour. In Taoist belief, the deities regularly oversee their respective realms to judge good and evil and determine fortune and calamity.

According to the NPM, while most surviving depictions of the Three Taoist Officials show them seated in temples or standing on clouds, it is rare to see them portrayed on tour, and the museum's painting is especially unusual in depicting all three together on a single scroll.

The exhibition features seven interactive installations, Hsiao said, explaining that visitors can view high-resolution projections of temple statues, often hidden deep inside halls, and appreciate their intricate craftsmanship.

A VR installation immerses viewers in festival scenes led by the mythical Qinglong dragon, while a family-friendly corner lets visitors paint the deities' attendants and join the inspection parade.

The digital art exhibition is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the art gallery of Songshan Feng Tian Temple in Xinyi District, and runs through April 26.