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Another National Palace in southern Taiwan.
The Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum is the southern branch of the National Palace Museum system, located in Taibao City, Chiayi County, and opened in 2015. The building was constructed to redistribute cultural resources and visitor traffic outside of Taipei, while also creating a balanced development between the two regions of Taiwan.
The exterior of the National Palace Museum's South Branch in Chiayi City, Taichung, Taiwan.
This is the second facility in the system, but it is positioned as an independent exhibition space with a clear orientation: a museum of Asian art and culture. Its content is not limited to Chinese antiquities but extends to areas such as textiles, ceramics, decorative motifs, Buddhism, tea culture, and regional cultural exchanges. The system operates on a rotational basis, utilizing a portion of the more than 690,000 artifacts in the Forbidden City.
The museum grounds cover approximately 70 hectares, including the main building and surrounding landscape. Designed by architect Kris Yao, the building's form is inspired by the three brushstrokes in ink painting, expressed through large curves and interconnected spatial structures. The exterior area integrates a lake, a scenic bridge, and an ecological garden, creating a complete whole between architecture and the environment.
The museum's exterior space is designed in shades of gray, inspired by ink painting.
Treasure Space: A collection of representative artifacts from the Forbidden City.
In its first exhibit, the museum showcases representative artifacts from the National Palace Museum's collection, often featured in rotating exhibitions. Among them, the Jadeite Cabbage is a world-renowned masterpiece of jade sculpture.
This treasure originates from the Qing Dynasty (China), believed to be a dowry item of a concubine of the Jin Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Guangxu (1889). The piece is crafted from a single block of natural, two-colored jade (jadeite), depicting a highly realistic cabbage with two grasshoppers on its leaves. The cabbage symbolizes purity (white leaves), vitality (green leaves), fertility (insects), and prosperity and good fortune (the pronunciation of "cabbage" is similar to "making money").
The main treasure is displayed in a glass case.
The plaster model is touchable.
In addition, this space also brings together many other exquisite works such as daffodil flower pots made of jade and gold, enameled copper boxes with lotus leaf motifs, jade vases shaped like lilies, cups made from rhinoceros horn carved with magnolia flowers, and inkstones engraved with banana trees and the moon. This group of artifacts clearly reflects the level of craftsmanship and aesthetics of court art, spanning various materials from jade and metal to horn and stone.
A daffodil pot made of jade and gold.
A cup made from rhinoceros horn, carved with magnolia flowers.
The exhibits are not displayed permanently but change periodically, depending on the rotation plan between facilities. This phased selection ensures that the space always revolves around a group of representative treasures, rather than focusing on a single artifact.
Enameled copper box with lotus leaf pattern
Jade vase in the shape of a lily
Inkstone engraved with images of a banana tree and the moon.
This space serves as an introduction, where viewers can directly encounter the symbols and craftsmanship before delving into more specialized topics later on.
Jade-encrusted spaces: Aesthetics and power of the Qing Dynasty
Delving deeper, the space dedicated to jade and imperial furnishings opens up another world connected to the Qing dynasty, particularly during the reign of Emperor Qianlong.
The exhibition space displays jade artifacts and jade sculptures from the Qianlong Emperor's era.
The artifacts in this group include ceremonial jade seals, such as the imperial and administrative seals; jade vases, boxes, and ornaments placed in the inner palace; and decorative items such as small statues, trays, or carvings for display. There are also personal items made of jade, such as storage boxes, writing implements, or accessories for desks.
Jade in the Qing dynasty was not only a precious material but also directly linked to the power system: jade seals represented the emperor's authority, while exhibits and objects of appreciation reflected the royal family's taste and role in patronizing the arts.
During the Qianlong era, the number of artifacts collected and crafted increased dramatically, forming a large-scale collection system. Many works showcased sophisticated carving techniques, while also reflecting the imperial aesthetic taste in combining material value and symbolic meaning.
Emperor Qianlong had a particular fondness for jade, so the number of jade artifacts crafted during his reign was enormous.
Jewelry and Clothing Space: Life in the Harem Through Objects
The space dedicated to royal jewelry and attire recreates life in the imperial harem through items associated with status and position.
The jewelry found in this region includes hairpins (ji), flower hairpins (zan), phoenix crowns for empresses and high-ranking concubines, and pearl necklaces (chaozhu) worn on the chest during ceremonies.
This exquisite Chinese phoenix crown dates back to the Qing Dynasty, 18th century.
Some artifacts utilize the diancui technique – a method of attaching kingfisher feathers to metal surfaces to create a distinctive blue color. There are also earrings, bracelets, and clothing accessories such as jade or precious metal ornaments.
This exquisite jewelry set, adorned with kingfisher feathers, symbolizes nobility and prestige.
The use of these items was clearly regulated according to rank in the Qing dynasty's imperial harem: the empress and imperial consort were permitted to wear crowns and jewelry with phoenix motifs, while lower ranks were limited in quantity, material, and design. Pearl necklaces and other accessories worn on the chest also followed specific regulations within court rituals.
The Chaozhu (court necklaces) were categorized by rank according to the regulations of each dynasty.
Alongside this, several exhibitions showcased the clothing and accessories of Qing Dynasty concubines, including ceremonial robes, everyday garments, and accompanying accessories. These artifacts directly reflect the hierarchical system within the imperial harem, with clear regulations regarding colors, patterns, and styles for each rank.
The dragon robe (Jifu), a formal court attire worn by officials and nobles during the Qing Dynasty.
Details such as phoenix motifs, the number of patterns, the fabric material, and the embroidery techniques were all linked to the wearer's status, from the empress to lower-ranking concubines. Through this, clothing was not only an aesthetic element but also a tool for expressing order and regulations within the imperial court.
Buddhist Spaces: Art and Beliefs in an Asian Context
In its final exhibit, the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum presents artifacts related to Buddhist art, in line with its expanded focus on Asian-wide content.
The museum's exhibition space displays Buddhist culture and artifacts.
The collection of artifacts includes Buddha statues, reliefs, stupas, and religious symbols, originating from various regions such as China, Tibet, India, and Southeast Asia. Alongside these are Buddhist scriptures copied and preserved in the Qing dynasty court, some made by imperial decree, reflecting the royal family's role as patrons of religion.
The artifacts are arranged by thematic groups, placed in relation to different regions of Asia. This regional and historical organization allows for direct comparison between Buddhist imagery, revealing differences in representation and cultural context from each location.
The southern branch did not replicate the model of the Taipei facility but chose its own path, expanding its scope to the whole of Asia and emphasizing the experiential element. This organizational approach helps the Forbidden City system become not just a storage place, but a flexible exhibition structure, reflecting the evolution of art and culture across various regions.
