Stepping into the 41-year-old National Palace Museum (NPM, 國立故宮博物院) in Taipei, one can't help but wonder what has happened to the once dust-covered depository of ancient treasures, now transformed into a bright, spacious modern museum replete with contemporary design inspired by the artwork from its collections.
The renovation project was begun in 2002 to remedy the museum's lack of exhibition space and its antiquated fire and quakeproofing and is now nearing completion with the last galleries under construction due to open to the public in February.
"The museum now has far more public spaces and the exhibition rooms have been rearranged in a more sensible manner so that visitors can easily find their way around," Sylvia Sun (孫鳳儀) of the museum's public affairs office said.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM
Departing from a theme-oriented format, the East Wing galleries chronologically chart Chinese civilization from the Neolithic age to the late Ching Dynasty. A multi-media exhibition booth on the second floor demonstrates ancient bronze-making techniques. More digital and sound exhibitions are to come, Sun said, including a guide room that presents visitors with information about the museum before visitors embark on their tours.
While the museum's southern branch in Taibao City, Chiayi County (嘉義縣太保市) — a grand project that has been attacked for exceeding its original NT$5.9 billion with accusations of bribery and corruption being leveled against officials and construction companies — is scheduled for completion in 2010 the NPM in Taipei seems ready to take a big leap into the new millennium with a total makeover and a change of mentality.
Under the leadership of its director Lin Man-li (林曼麗), the museum is no longer limited to its traditional role as a cultural showroom attracting mainly foreign tourists. Rather, it is envisaged as a cultural park where families and friends could hang out and while away leisure time in the e-learning demonstration center, child-friendly workshops, auditorium for film screenings and cafes (the nearby Formosa International Hotel-run three-floor building housing restaurants and eateries will be open to the public by the end of next year.)
The gift shop and e-commerce Web site carry an array of items whose designs are based on famous pieces from the museum's collection and demonstrate the museum's ambition to become a player in the cultural industries and create added value through brand building.
To herald its official reopening on Feb. 8 next year, the museum is launching a three-month long special exhibition on paintings, calligraphy, rare books and the Ju ceramic wares from the Northern Sung Dynasty (960 to 1127) starting on Monday. Renowned for its impressive collection of artworks of the period, the museum is putting its collection of Sung Dynasty artifacts in its entirety on display for the first and possibly the last time due to the fragility of the artworks.
"The museum usually displays one or two items of the period at a time since the ancient paintings and calligraphy pieces are what we call the restricted items. Every time we roll open a piece, it damages the work. And the duration of the exhibition of such restricted item is limited to two to three months. After the display, the items have to be returned to the storehouse for repair, which can take years," Sun explained.
A month-long celebration will kick off in February with a series of outdoor performances by local groups such as U-Theater (優劇場), Ju Percussion Group (朱宗慶打擊樂團) and Ming Hua Yuan Taiwanese Opera (明華園歌仔戲團). The British Museum will collaborate with the NPM for the first time, shipping 271 selected masterpieces for a large-scale exhibition. Visit the museum's Web site at www.npm.gov.tw.
That US assistance was a model for Taiwan’s spectacular development success was early recognized by policymakers and analysts. In a report to the US Congress for the fiscal year 1962, former President John F. Kennedy noted Taiwan’s “rapid economic growth,” was “producing a substantial net gain in living.” Kennedy had a stake in Taiwan’s achievements and the US’ official development assistance (ODA) in general: In September 1961, his entreaty to make the 1960s a “decade of development,” and an accompanying proposal for dedicated legislation to this end, had been formalized by congressional passage of the Foreign Assistance Act. Two
Despite the intense sunshine, we were hardly breaking a sweat as we cruised along the flat, dedicated bike lane, well protected from the heat by a canopy of trees. The electric assist on the bikes likely made a difference, too. Far removed from the bustle and noise of the Taichung traffic, we admired the serene rural scenery, making our way over rivers, alongside rice paddies and through pear orchards. Our route for the day covered two bike paths that connect in Fengyuan District (豐原) and are best done together. The Hou-Feng Bike Path (后豐鐵馬道) runs southward from Houli District (后里) while the
March 31 to April 6 On May 13, 1950, National Taiwan University Hospital otolaryngologist Su You-peng (蘇友鵬) was summoned to the director’s office. He thought someone had complained about him practicing the violin at night, but when he entered the room, he knew something was terribly wrong. He saw several burly men who appeared to be government secret agents, and three other resident doctors: internist Hsu Chiang (許強), dermatologist Hu Pao-chen (胡寶珍) and ophthalmologist Hu Hsin-lin (胡鑫麟). They were handcuffed, herded onto two jeeps and taken to the Secrecy Bureau (保密局) for questioning. Su was still in his doctor’s robes at
Mirror mirror on the wall, what’s the fairest Disney live-action remake of them all? Wait, mirror. Hold on a second. Maybe choosing from the likes of Alice in Wonderland (2010), Mulan (2020) and The Lion King (2019) isn’t such a good idea. Mirror, on second thought, what’s on Netflix? Even the most devoted fans would have to acknowledge that these have not been the most illustrious illustrations of Disney magic. At their best (Pete’s Dragon? Cinderella?) they breathe life into old classics that could use a little updating. At their worst, well, blue Will Smith. Given the rapacious rate of remakes in modern