Paintings in the National Palace Museum collection include works from four major periods: the Sung (A.D. 960-1279), Yuan (A.D. 1279-1368), Ming (A.D. 1368-1644), and Ch'ing (A.D. 1644- 1911) dynasties. These were acquired through imperial inheritance, presentation by court officials, confiscated property of offending officials, or imperial purchase.

The T'ang dynasty represents the beginning of the development of Chinese painting and its most fruitful period. The figure and horse paintings of this period were exquisite. Unfortunately few works from this early developmental stage have survived the ravages of time.

The Five-Dynasties and Sung periods saw the flourishing of flower, bird, and landscape painting. Authentic works from these two periods are relatively numerous. Moreover, most are masterpieces by famous artists. Other Sung works include academy paintings which are representative of the period of greatest development in this style. Many paintings of this type in the collection are unsigned.

Owing to its short duration (only 89 years), there are fewer paintings from the Yuan dynasty. Also included in the museum collection are one work from the Khitan Tartars of the Liao dynasty (A.D. 907-1125), and from the Jurchen of the Chin dynasty (A.D. 1115-1234), both from the north of China . Though this is an exceedingly small number, these two' pieces are representative of the styles of those eras.

Paintings of the Ming and Ch'ing dynasties preserved in the Museum constitute the largest portion of its painting collection. Virtually every painting genre and school from these two periods is included, because these two dynasties are historically recent eras, artists were numerous, the study of painting became very popular, and the preservation of such works is relatively simple.

The written Chinese language is not only used for the recording and transmission of information, but is also an object for aesthetic consideration and individual self － cultivation.

Very few examples of ancient calligraphy are still extant. Except for the Shang oracle inscriptions known as chia-ku wen incised on tortoise shells or the scapulae of oxen, and the Han inscribed bamboo slips, most of the ancient writings were inscriptions cast on bronze metal vessels or carved on stone stelae. To view an original piece of an ancient calligrapher's work, therefore ， is rare. Usually rubbings of the inscriptions were taken for the sake of propagation and posterity.

The earliest example of a work by the hand of a well-known calligrapher is the P'ing-fut'ieh , “ On Recovering from Illness ” by Lu Chi(A.D.26l 一 303). After the Eastern Chin period(A.D. 317 － 420) ， the number of extant examples of original calligraphy increases. The great calligrapher of the Eastern Chin, Wang Hsi-chih , is regarded as the patriarch of calligraphy. He was most proficient in standard and semicursive scripts; his calligraphy has been highly praised and widely copied. The example, the K'uai-hsueh-shih- ch'ing t'ieh , is part of a 1etter to a friend.

During the T'ang dynasty the career of any aspiring official or scholar depended in part upon his skill as a calligrapher. The standard script style received the greatest emphasis. Many a famous official was also a calligrapher of renown, for example Ou-yang hs ü n, Yu Shih-nan, Chu Sui-liang, Yen Chen-ch'ing, and Liu Kung-ch'uan. The brush-strokes in standard script are even and orderly, the composition of the characters excellent. Standard script was written in accordance with set rules, which provided models for calligraphers of succeeding dynasties.

In the Sung it became the practice to carve calligraphy on stone or wood, to take rubbings on paper, and compile these as t'ieh or copy-books. This became a prevalent method of studying various calligraphic styles. Gradually, calligraphers became more interested in the expression of personal aesthetics in calligraphy. The best-known Sung calligraphers were Su Shih, Huang T'ing-chien, Mi Fu, and Ts'ai Hsiang, who were known as the four masters of the Sung dynasty.

The short-lived Yuan dynasty lasted but 89 years (A.D. 1279 － 1368);nonetheless, there appeared.such masters as Chao Meng-fu, K'ang-li K'uei-k'uei, Hsien-yu Shu, K'o Chiu-ssu, and Chang Yu.

The finest achievement of Ming calligraphy was the “Grass” cursive script. During the 300 years of the Ming dynasty there were many great calligraphers. The early Ming calligraphers were Sung K'o, Shen Tu, Shen Ts'an; Chieh Chin, Wen Cheng-ming, Wang Ch'ung, and Chü yun-ming were most famous during the middle period, and Hsing T'ung, Chang Jui-t'u, Tung Ch'i-ch'ang, and Mi Wang-chung in the latter period.

Calligraphy in the Ch'ing may be divided into two periods. The former dates from early Ch'ing to the Chia-ch'ing (A.D. 1796 － 1820) and Tao-kuang (A.D. 182l-1850) reigns. During this time the study of t'ieh continued unabated, the noted calligraphers being Wang To,Fu Shan,Chang Chao, Liu Yuag,Wang Wen-chih, and Prince Ch'eng. With the increased interest in archaeology beginning in the Ch'ien-lung (A.D. 1736-1795)and Chia- ch'ing (A.D. 1796-1820) reigns, many bronze and stele inscriptions were discovered and from these rubbings made. The interest in chin-wen and pei-wen scripts suddenly blossomed into a major branch of calligraphy. The leading figures were Teng Shih-ju, Ho Shao-chi, and Chang Yu-chao.

The National Palace Museum has an especially rich collection of calligraphy from the Eastern Chin period to the Ch'ing dynasty. A great many pieces are works with a long and well-known history. Most numerous are works from the Y ü an, Ming, and Ch'ing dynasties.

STONE- INSCRIPTION RUBBINGS

In ancient times there were two places in which pei or stelae were erected: in the palace or shrine and at grave sites. The pei served separate purposes at its two different locations. One kind was a gnomon or shadow stick for marking the passage of time. The other served as a hitching post for sacrificial animals brought to shrine as offerings. In its chapter on sacrifices, the Li Chi, or Book of Rites, records that "The nobles bringing the sacrificial animals into the place of worship would tie them at the pei in the court-yard." The pei set at grave sites were originally the posts utilized in lowering the casket into the ground. In both cases, whether erected in the palaces and shrines or at graves, no inscription appeared on the surface of the stones. It was only later that stelae with engraved characters appeared. Pei set within the palace or shrine grounds recorded the date, purposes, and be- nefactor of the structure built. Those at grave sites now became tombstones and were inscribed with eulogies on the deceased.

Later, regardless of their literary content, pei served as everlasting memorials to great men and their deeds. The beauty of the characters carved on the stone was of course one aspect of the pei , but it was not considered the most important or significant.

Inscribed pei are actually a category of t'ieh,' the term t'ieh includes a broad range of calligraphic forms, in which the main emphasis is on the beauty of the inscription rather than its content. The main purpose of t'ieh is to preserve and propagate the calligraphic models Of famous masters, mostly by means of rubbings from engraved stones or block- printing. The calligraphy chosen could range from poems and essays to letters.

The National Palace Museum collection consists of a greater quantity of t'ieh than pei . Altogether are 313 pieces; this archive collection is less.

Pottery and porcelain are among the earliest of the fine arts developed in China . They stand out as a superior achievement in the history of world fine arts. Most pieces in the Museum's collection date from the Han dynasty (206 B.C. - A.D. 220) onward; the great bulk is from the Sung dynasty (A.D. 960-1270) and later. There are only a few pottery pieces from the Neolithic period and some from the T'ang dynasty (A.D. 618-907). Al- though small in number, these pieces represent each of the ancient periods and serve to fill the gaps in the Museum's ceramics collection.

Porcelain evolved out of pottery, particularly from pottery glazing techniques, which determined its development. The earliest glaze was discovered in China over 3000 years ago by the people of the Shang dynasty (1766-1122 B.C.). From the Chou dynasty (1122- 221 B.C.) up to the Sui dynasty (A.D. 581-618) and the T'ang dynasty (A.D. 618-907), glazing techniques were continually improved and refined until they finally resulted in the world-famous Sung-dynasty (A.D. 960-1279) wares.

The first Sung emperor, T'ai-tsu (r. A.D. 960-975), brought an end to approximately a century of disorder and confusion when he re-unified China . After he established his capital at Kaifeng the economy was restored and culture flourished. During this time the Chinese ceramic industry gradually progressed to one of its highest levels of proficiency, producing such wares as Ting, Ju, Chain, Yao-chou and Tzu-chou in the' north, and Kuan, Lung-ch'uan, Chien-yang and Ching-te Chen ware in the south. Each of these have their own particular characteristics. Those wares for official use reflect a refined and introspective spirit, while those of the common people appear straightforward and have a simple, practical appeal. Many of the monochrome glazes so favored in later times were developed during the Sung, and the forerunners of the underglaze techniques and overglaze enamel work that became so popular in later dynasties were also introduced at that time.

After the Mongols invaded China and established the Y ü an dynasty (A.D. 1279-1368), the arts ceased to reflect the inward and philosophical tastes of the Sung dynasty and took on a more eclectic style. Ch ü n, Tzu-chou and Lung-ch'uan wares continued to be made, but most of the famous old wares were no longer produced. The kilns at Ching-te Chen in Kiangsi Province began to flourish and soon became the ceramic center for the entire country. The use of cobalt in making underglaze decorations (which became known as "blue-and-white") was probably the most important innovation in ceramics during the Yuan dynasty.

In the early Ming dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644), an imperial kiln was established at Chingte Chen which produced large amounts of ceramic ware for palace use. Among these the most famous were the underglaze-blue ware of the Hs ü an-te period (A.D. 1426-1435), the tou-ts'ai enamel ware of the Ch'eng-hua period (A.D. 1465-1487),and the polychrome enamel ware of the Wan4i period (A.D. 1573-1620), as well as various kinds of monochrome glazes. All of these were beautifully made and have enjoyed continuous fame down through the ages.

The Museum's collection of Ch'ing-dynasty official ware numbers over 10,000 pieces from the K'ang-hsi period (A.D. 1662-1722) through the Hs ü an-t'ung period (A.D. 1909- 1911), with pieces from each reign-period of the dynasty. The pieces from the K'ang-hsi, Yung-cheng (A.D. 1723-1735) and Ch'ien4ung (A.D. 1736-1795) reigns are considered the most refined and elegant of the dynasty. Ruby-red ware, underglaze-blue ware, and polychrome-enamel ware of the K'ang-hsi period; imitation Ju ware, imitation Kuan ware, and fen-ts'ai ware of the Yung-cheng period; and fen-ts'ai ware, tou-ts'ai ware, and fine open-work ware of the Ch'ien-lung period are regarded as the most outstanding products of these three reigns. Later generations have been unable to reproduce the fine enameled work that was developed during the Ch'ing dynasty. These products all represent the highest achievements in the fine art of pottery.

Porcelain is well represented in the Museum's collection. There are over 23,000 pieces from all the famous kilns of China dating from the Northern Sung dynasty through Ch'ing dynasty.

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The National Palace Museum collection of Jade comes to us in part from the collections of the Ch'ing dynasty court, and to a lesser degree from donations and purchases in recent years. The imperial collection derives from three sources: ancient treasures inherited from former dynasties, gifts and tribute presented to the throne, and objects produced on a large scale in palace workshops.

Chinese jades are mainly divided into two groups: the nephrite or so-called "soft jade" and the jadeite or "hard jade." Most nephrite came to China from southwestern Sinkiang (Chinese Turkistan), while jadeite probably started to come in after the 17th century from northern Burma . The importation of these two types of jades greatly increased during the Ch'ing dynasty. During this period jade was highly prized by most people, regardless of rank or station, and was frequently presented to the emperor as a gift. In addition, objects of jade were both produced in imperial workshops as well as purchased from other sources. Thus jade articles were ubiquitous in the palaces and filled the imperial vaults.

Several facts of interest regarding the jade in the Museum collection follow:

1. During the Ming and Ch'ing dynasties, connoisseurs of jade would remove the outer layer of earthen crustations on archaic jade and wear the piece close to the skin to bring out its beautiful color. It was said the longer one wore the stone the richer the tones and shadings would become. All jades presented to the emperor were treated in this manner. Thus there are very few jades in the Museum collection which have retained their former outer layer.

2. Jades produced in the imperial workshop were of exceedingly fine workmanship. Here it was quality rather than speed of manufacture that was essential. Only the finest carved jades were selected for the palace, and the number of pieces chosen from these work- shops was considerable.

3. The Ch'ien-lung emperor (r. A.D. 1736-1795) of the Ch'ing dynasty was extremely fond of jade, referring to this mineral extensively in his poetry. He often had his artisans carve his poems on jade objects. These poems are distinctive characteristics of jades formerly in the Imperial Palace collection.

4. Among N.P.M. recent purchases are a number of jades still bearing an outer layer of earthen crustations. Since this was not removed following excavation, they exhibit the array of changes in coloration that results from long-term burial. With a view to extending the range of the Museum collection, special effort has been made to obtain jades that represent clearly both the variety of regional styles, and the progression of jade art through various ages.

After the imperial jade collection became part of the National Palace Museum it was preserved in a special storehouse. The jades brought to Taiwan , as well as recent acquisitions, range in date from the late Neolithic period to the Ch'ing dynasty, with fine examples from every major period in Chinese history.

Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin. The ancient philosopher Mo-tzu said that "In

ancient times, the emperor of the Hsia dynasty, Hsia Kai, commanded his minister, Fei Lien, to collect metal from the mountains and rivers; he then used a clay mold to cast the metal at K'un-wu." This passage indicates that by the time of the Hsia dynasty, bronze casting had already developed, but the ancient texts contain little to verify this claim. However, the artifacts uncovered by archaeologists since the early part of this century have brought to light the now accepted fact that by the early Shang (ca. 1766-1122 B.C.) the successors of Hsia, the manufacture of bronze had already begun.

The Chinese often use the phrase "clay casting." The origin of this type of casting is found in the dwelling place of the Shang-Yin people, in Anyang , Honan province, where both baked-clay models and mold fragments have been uncovered. The piece-mold method used in ancient China and the Western technique referred to as the "lost-wax" process developed independently. The art of bronze-casting during the Shang and Chou dynasties was based on the fundamentals of pottery-making practiced during the Chinese Neolithic and not derived from the West.

The Shang-Yin oracle bone inscriptions verified the ancient texts' claim that "The Shang people paid reverence to the spirits." In the Shang conception, the distinction be- tween the worlds of gods and of mortals was so vague as to be almost negligible. The Shang people believed that everyone possessed a soul. Since one's life after death was identical to one's life on earth, one required certain material necessities for it. The Shang royal house paid homage both to Heaven and to their numerous ancestors, resulting in countless time-consuming and complicated sacrificial rites. Bronzes such as wine vessels and food containers were used during these rites performed by the royal house. These vessels contained food and drink, thus providing a feast for the ancestors, and are frequently referred to as ritual bronzes. The Shang people firmly believed that although seemingly dead, people's souls still remained intact in their bodies. Hence they required the same necessities as the living, resulting in the development of the tradition of elaborate funerals. Frequently, the deceased was buried with the vessels he felt were too precious to part with, such as those used during the ancestral sacrifices and those used to entertain his guests. This is the reason why many of the bronzes on exhibit today were found in tombs of the Shang and Chou periods.

In other areas of the world such as Turkey and the northern shore of the Caspian Sea , bronzes have been uncovered which are either earlier than or contemporaneous with Chinese bronze artifacts. However, no other country's Bronze Age can compare with China 's in complexity of development. These unique bronzes not only reflect the achievements of China 's ancient civilization, but also, because of their synthesis of motif, depiction, and casting skill, constitute a glorious achievement in the history of Chinese art.

The collection of religious implements in the Museum comprises the ritual objects used in Tibetan Buddhism. The items include ceremonial costumes, sacrificial vessels, musical instruments, implements for exorcising demons, good-luck charms and others. The museum's collection dates from the Ch'ing dynasty (A.D. 1644-1911) and most of it was orginally housed in the Tz'u-ning Hall garden of the Forbidden City . A small number of pieces were also taken from the Yang-hsin Pavilion and from the Summer Palace in Jehol.

Buddhism began to play an important role for the Tibetans under the influence of their King Srongtsan Gampo in the seventh century A.D. The predominant sect of Buddhism in Tibet in the early Ming period was the Red Robe sect, so-called after the robes worn by its priests. However, the Red Robe sect later became plagued with corruption and superstitious beliefs; it gradually fell out of power and was replaced by the Yellow Hat sect. This latter sect was founded by Tsongkha-pa, who is believed to have been born in the fifteenth year of the Yung4o reign (A.D. 1417). His teaching spread rapidly and won many followers, but it was under his successors, the first Dalai and Panchen Lamas, that the new form of Buddhism became firmly established, and that its leadership, both religious and political, perpetuated itself through successive reincarnations of the great Lamas. The Yellow Hat sect expanded its sphere of influence beyond the borders of Tibet into Mongolia and China. During the Ch'ing dynasty, even many members of the Imperial household were adherents of this Tibetan form of Buddhism; Lama temples were erected in the imperial capital and religious articles were collected in the imperial Palace. Some of these objects were offered to the court by the Dalai and Panchen Lamas themselves and others from Sinkiang tribesmen of the conquered regions. There are also replicas of various ritual implements made in the palace workshops.

The human cranium was occasionally used in Tibetan Buddhism to make the ritual vessels known as ka-p'u-la bowls (this word is derived from the Sansrit kapala meaning skull). Such bowls were made from the skulls of deceased high priests and other persons of special rank, wisdom or holiness, because it was thought that the special virtues of these persons would enhance the spiritual authority of those who used the bowls.

WRITING MATERIALS

The uniqueness of the art of Chinese writing lies in its unique tools, such as the pliant fur brush, the black soluble ink, the fine inkstone and the absorbent paper or silk. Therefore brush, ink, inkstone and paper are indispensable tools for writing, and for this reason called "Four treasures."

By their very nature, writing tools are objects frequently used, and they are made from rather perishable materials (except the inkstone), thus making it difficult to preserve them for a long time. However, because of their beauty, they came to be regarded as items worth collecting, and many have thus survived the ages as collector's items.

Besides its fur tip, the brush-stem (which is ordinarily made of bamboo or wood) can be turned into a decorative object by being made with expensive materials like jade, ivory, porcelain or horn, which are often carved or painted. Therefore just the brush-stem itself could be subject of contests for beauty and refinement of manufacture.

The inkcake or ink-stick is made of glutinated pine, t'ung-oil or lacquer ash. It is customary to make inkcakes in different shapes with a variety of decorations on them. There are also a variety of inkcake colors with special scents. The museum inkcake collection is mainly from the Ming and the Ch'ing dynasties (A.D. 1368-1911). Most are from the imperial house, while a smaller portion were offered by commoners or officials to the court. These inkcakes are made of the finest material and many were made by famous inkcake artisans of the mid-Ming dynasty, such as Lo Lung-wen, Ch'eng Ch[in-fang, Fang Yu-lu, and Yeh Hsuan-ch'ing. These inkcakes are indeed rare and precious items.

Collecting inkstones is traditionally considered at the same level as collecting bronzes and stone inscriptions. During the reign of the Ch'ien-lung emperor (A.D. 1736-1795)the collection of inkstones in the imperial household was catalogued a book entitled Hsi-ch 'lng yen p'u. Over half of the inkstones mentioned in that catalogue remain in the Museum today. The shapes, materials, skill of carving and inscriptions of poems or colophons by famous scholars on these inkstones all combine to inspire an appreciation of the flavor of the classical past.

MINIATURE CARVINGS

The art of carving in China underwent a process of gradual refinement from the Sung dynasty (A.D. 960-1278) onwards. Carved artworks became small enough to be displayed on a tabletop, and they often attained truly astonishing degrees of detailed miniaturization.

A wide range of materials, each with its own characteristics, was used for carving. For example, bamboo became very popular as a carving medium after the middle of the Ming dynasty (A.D. 15th century) and generations of artisans became famous for their skill at bamboo-carving; the elegance and beauty of bamboo-carving made it a favorite among the scholar-official elite of the time. A great variety of woods also saw use as carving media, such as fine, smooth boxwood, fragrant dried banyan-wood, sandalwood and others. Ivory, with its warm, smooth quality and fine substance, was best used for highly-detailed open- work carving and inlays. Other materials, such as rare rhinoceros-horn, precious gold and silver, tiny fruit-pits and gourds also served to display the carvers' skills.

Besides encouraging the art of miniature carving, the emperors of the early Ch'ing dynasty (17th-18th centuries A.D.) were themselves fond of collecting outstanding examples of this art form, which they kept in special miniature cabinets known as to-pao-ko or miniature treasure-boxes. The interiors of these cabinets were often divided into a profusion of small niches, drawers, shelves, revolving stages and secret compartments in order to contain the greatest number of objects in the smallest yet most cleverly-arranged space. Storing miniature carvings in this way also added to the enjoyment of collecting them, and the to-pao-Ko frequently came to be masterpieces of craftsmanship in their own right.

LACQUER WARES

Lacquer is made from the sap of the lacquer tree (Rhus vernicifiua) and is applied as a protective coating to utensils and other objects. Once the lacquer has dried, it becomes hard and impermeable and it also enhances the object's beauty. The development of Chinese lacquer has a history of more than 3,000 years. Many different techniques have been perfected during this long period, such as coloring, painting with gold, needle-carving, openwork-carving, inlaying, appliqueing with gold and silver, filling-in and marbling. The Palace Museum lacquer collection is made up of more than five hundred items consisting mainly of imperial lacquer wares of the Ming and Ch'ing dynasties.

Carved lacquer wares constitute the main bulk of the museum lacquer collection. To produce a piece of carved lacquer, it is first necessary to build up the surface with a thick coat composed of several dozen layers of lacquer ensuring the proper depth and solidity. The designs were then carved into the lacquer surface. There are several types of Chinese carved lacquers: t'i-hei ("carved-black"), t'i-huang ("carved-yellow"), t'i-hung ("carved- red") and t'i-ts'ai ("carved-polychrome"). Carved lacquer wares from the Sung (A.D. 960- 1278) and the YUan (A.D. 1279-1368) dynasties already attained high artistic level, while those from the Ming and the Ch'ing dynasties, especially those made under imperial patronage, are of the highest quality. Early Ming-period carved lacquer wares from the reign- periods of Yung-lo (A.D. 1403-1424) and Hsuan-te (A.D. 1426-1435) are thick and the color is of a beautiful deep hue; the carving is smooth and fluid with a predominance of floral motifs. Polychrome and dragon-motif wares were typically preferred for late-Ming carved lacquer from the Chia-ching (A.D. 1522-1566), Lung-ch'ing (A.D. 1567-1572) and Wan-li (A.D. 1573-1620) reigns. Ch'ing-dynasty carved lacquers are in general brightly colored and deeply carved with minute details often applied on large-size decorative objects or on articles of furniture.

ENAMEL WARES

Enamel is a glassy substance that can be bonded to metal surfaces when heated; vessels or other objects that have undergone this process are known as "enamel" or "enamel wares." Chinese enamel wares were produced by three processes: cloisonne, painting, and champleve.

Cloisonne enamel is produced by soldering a design outline in wire onto the surface of a vessel, then filling in the cells between the wires with enamel paste and firing the vessel. As enamel shrinks easily during the firing, this process often requires filling-in and re-firing in order to complete the enamel design. Once complete, the vessel is smoothed and polished and the exposed metal areas are gilded. Cloisonne enamel ware came to be called "Ching- t'ai blue" during the Ming dynasty, after the reign title of the Ching-t'ai emperor (r. A.D. 1450-1456). The cloisonne produced at that time was highly esteemed by contemporary and later commentators. Today the term "Ching-t'ai blue" refers in general to the use of blue as background on cloisonne enamels.

Champleve enamel is pressed into spaces in a repousse design on the vessel; the ground exclusive of the design is incised with a network of fine parallel lines in Order to hold the enamel more firmly. These pieces resemble cloisonne, except for the usage of transparent colored enamels which reveal the metal surface and enhance the vessel's beauty.

Painted enamel is produced by brushing the enamel directly onto the metal surface; both the inner and outer surfaces must be painted in order to ensure that during firing they expand and contract equally, allowing the enamel to adhere without cracking or peeling. This process is also referred to in China as "Foreign Porcelain" because it was invented in Europe and brought to China in the 17th century.

Although enamel-making techniques originally came from the West, the Ming and the Ch'ing imperial workshops devoted much time and energy to creating their own enamel wares. Consequently, the enamels from these periods are distinctively Chinese in their style, shape, color and decoration. The Museum's enamel collection consists of some 1,800 pieces, of which the majority was made at the imperial workshops. These objects are of the highest quality in their material and style.

COSTUME AND PERSONAL ORNAMENT

Throughout much of China's history, the forms, colors and patterns of clothing and personal ornament worn under various circumstances have been regulated according to the wearer's social rank. Such regulations, formally called sumptuary rules, allowed people to determine each other's status at a glance and to behave accordingly; they are thus a reflection of the orderly fabric of social interaction.

Most of the traditional clothing and personal ornament in the Museum collection are from the imperial court and household of the Ch'ing dynasty (A.D. 1644-1911), so their forms, colors, patterns and accessories generally conform to the sumptuary rules in effect for the imperial family at that time. Our collection comprises of objects. Such as, headgear, belts, court jewelry, rosary-bracelets, belt-hooks, embroidered handbags, snuff bottles and ju-yi scepters, along with such feminine ornaments as hairpins, necklaces, bracelets, sachet- bags, and so on. These objects are made from a wide variety of precious and semi-precious materials such as pearls, sable fur, gold, silver, rubies, emeralds, turquoise, lapis lazuli, jade, rock-crystal, agate, ivory, tortoiseshell, coral, sandal-wood and aloeswood. Besides their overwhelming variety, the flawless materials and beautiful craftsmanship displayed by the objects in this collection provide a rich impression of the sumptuous life of the Chinese imperial court.

EMBROIDERIES AND TAPESTRIES

Embroidery has long been practiced in China as a traditional and especially feminine craft. Generally it was used to adorn clothing, and it was only in the Sung dynasty that painting and calligraphy began to be embroidered, thus transforming the craft into a medium of connoisseurship and aesthetic pleasure. This latter category forms the greater part of the National Palace Museum collection of embroidery. The earliest piece in this collection is the embroidery "The Three Gods of Longevity, Prosperity, and Happiness," which dates from the Five-Dynasties period (A.D. 907-960). The collection also contains pieces from the Sung, the Yüan, the Ming and the greatest number from the Ch'ing dynasty (there is also a small number of undated pieces).

The embroidery in the National Palace Museum is of a uniformly high quality; it is worked, most often in satin stitch, with a flat, meticulous technique portraying an in- exhaustible variety of subjects and power of expression. So close do such embroideries approach the feel of painting that the viewer is often apt to forget that he is looking at an embroidery, a high tribute to the craftsman's abilities as an embroiderer and his under- standing of painting.

The technique of silk tapestry (in Chinese k'o-ssu 緙繡 ) differs in certain respects from that of other woven fabrics in which the weft runs the entire width of the warp and the pat- tern. is regulated and repetitive. In silk tapestry, however, the colored weft does not run from selvedge to selvedge but crosses the warp only within the area of the intended pattern of design, turning back at the pattern's border. Those warp threads which are not covered by one combination of weft threads are covered by another so that no part of the warp appears on the surface of the silk tapestry. The shuttle carries the colored weft back and forth within the predetermined pattern until the design is completed. Thus we may see that the term k'o-ssu refers to "weaving of the weft."

Because each weft pattern is an individual unit whose threads run only to the border of an adjacent pattern, a tiny fissure resembling saw-teeth in appearance remains between patterns of a different color. The effect is not unlike that of carving, a phenomenon which has given rise to another Chinese name for tapestry, k'o-ssu 緙繡 "carved silk."

The surface of a finished silk tapestry is flat, with the back and front displaying identical versions of the design. As such, silk tapestry is ideally suited to the making of flags and banners.

The art of silk tapestry was extremely difficult to master and a single piece might require over a year to complete. As a result they were enormously costly. Only the very wealthiest nobility were able to afford a piece, which might be used on a festive or con- gratulatory occasion or as a setting for a piece of calligraphy. During the Ming and Ch'ing dynasties, silk tapestry was used for robes of state.

By far the greatest number of Chinese tapestries were woven with silk thread. A very few used hemp. The art of tapestry was known fairly early and reached its golden age The National Palace Museum contains a rich collection of silk tapestry. Among the pieces attributed to the Sung dynasty, there are signed pieces by the master artists Shen Tzu-fan and Chu K'o -jou and some tapestries of calligraphy. Included in the collection are a few pieces attributed to the Yüan dynasty and several from the Ming dynasty; among the latter is one signed work by Wu Ch'i. Finally there are many pieces either from the Ch'ing dynasty or for which no certain period can be determined.

The Museum collection comprises 254 tapestries and embroideries of excellent quality, both in creativity of motif and in weaving technique. They are of high artistic worth, valued as collectors' items on a par with painting and calligraphy.