The National Palace Museum (國立故宮博物院) houses the antiques hauled from the Forbidden City when Chiang Kai-Shek retreated to Taiwan with Kuomintang during the Chinese Civil War. This museum is said to house the most valuable items from the Forbidden City, leaving very few valuable items back in mainland China.
One of the highlights of the exhibits is the Jade Cabbage (翠玉白菜). Since camera is not allowed in the exhibition halls, I need to borrow the photo from the official website of the museum. This masterpiece was carved from an unworked jade with was considered imperfect due to the distinct dual tone of colours. The craftsman exemplary turned imperfection into a perfect piece of art.
Photo courtesy of the National Palace Museum
There are many other interesting things to see in the museum and I leave it to you to explore by yourself when you visit Taiwan. This is one of the places marked as 'must visit.' If you have not been there, you have not been to Taiwan.
