Culture Minister Lung Ying-tai says the National Palace Museum’s loan exhibit in Japan promotes cultural exchanges between the two countries. Lung was speaking Tuesday in Taipei.
A total of 231 of the National Palace Museum’s art treasures will be on display at the Tokyo National Museum, starting next Tuesday.
Lung said she hopes the exhibit will help the Japanese gain a better understanding of Taiwan’s rich culture and lead to more exchanges.
"There should be more room for Taiwan and Japan to conduct wider and more in-depth cultural exchanges," said Lung. "The collections of the National Palace Museum will open the door to that."
One masterpiece that will be on display is the popular Jadeite Cabbage with Insects. The single piece of half-white and half-green jadeite is carved into the shape of bokchoy and was originally placed in the Forbidden City. The jadeite has many flaws such as cracks and discolored blotches that were incorporated into the sculpture as the cabbage’s stalks and leaves. It is one of the museum’s most popular treasures.