NPM exhibition highlights nature in Chinese art

An ongoing exhibition at the National Palace Museum (NPM) shows how ancient Chinese observed and interacted with nature and their surroundings, the Tang Prize Foundation, which is co-organizing the exhibition with NPM, said on Thursday.

The exhibition, "Viewing Nature in Chinese Art," was organized to celebrate the 2016 Tang Prize and takes one of the award's categories - sustainable development - as its main theme.

Of the more than 80 artifacts on display, the main attractions include a celadon warming bowl in the shape of a lotus blossom from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), a carved olive pit in the shape of a boat, from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) and "Geographical Map of the Yangtze River," a silk handscroll from the Qing Dynasty depicting the Yangtze River.

The exhibited items "not only provide in concrete terms a microcosm of views on nature in Chinese art, they also reflect changes in the attitudes of people over time, how the Chinese sought harmony with their surroundings and the ways they made nature a part of their lives," according to the NPM website.

Sustainable development is a pressing issue in the 21st century, and it is hoped that the exhibition will encourage visitors to think about the issue, the Tang Prize Foundation said.

The Tang Prize recognizes top researchers and leaders in the fields of sustainable development, biopharmaceutical science, Sinology, and the rule of law. It was established by Taiwanese entrepreneur Samuel Yin (???) in 2012 to complement the Nobel Prize. The first Tang Prize award ceremony was held in 2014.

The exhibition, which kicked off Sept. 22, will run until Dec. 22 at the NPM in Taipei.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel