National Palace Museum in Taiwan Updates Permanent Exhibitions with Wonderful Paintings of Gods and Ghosts
Taiwan’s National Palace Museum has announced that its permanent exhibitions of calligraphy and painting, namely “Bi Song Mo Wu”, “Huge Masterpieces”, and “National Treasure Spotlight”, have undergone a complete update. The museum has introduced a new collection of captivating paintings centered around the theme of gods and ghosts.
The exhibition titled “Brush, Song, Ink and Dance – Guided Tour of Palace Museum Paintings” showcases landscape paintings, flower-and-bird paintings, and figure paintings from the museum’s collection. This special exhibition specifically focuses on figure paintings that depict immortals, Buddhas, ghosts, and gods, offering visitors a glimpse into the spiritual world of ancient times.
Among the various paintings, there are six artworks dedicated to the mythical figure Zhong Kui. One notable piece is “Zhong Kui in the Cold Forest” by Wen Zhengming, which depicts the handsome Zhong Kui standing in a haunted forest. Gong Kaizhi’s “Zhong Kui Migration Picture” from the Yuan Dynasty shows Zhong Kui and his sister leading a group of ghosts to their new residence.
Another painting on display is the “Song Mahezhi Painting Magu Fairy Portrait”, which portrays the legendary young female fairy named Magu. In the artwork, Magu carries gourds and flower baskets on her shoulders, with Ganoderma lucidum symbolizing longevity. Another masterpiece, “The Picture of Luoshen” by Wei Jiuding in the Yuan Dynasty, depicts the ethereal beauty of Luoshen, a mythical figure, strolling elegantly on a river.
In the “Great Masterpieces” exhibition, two paintings titled “Ming Zhu Fu Uncovering the Bowl” present the Buddhist scripture story of Sakyamuni Buddha transforming into ghosts, sons, and mothers. These ink and wash line drawings effectively bring to life the mournful expressions of the ghosts and mothers, the solemnity of heavenly kings, and the ever-changing postures of ghosts and spirits.
Additionally, the exhibition features “Ming Qiuying Uncovering the Bowl” with its rich and vibrant colors, illustrating various ghosts’ efforts to rescue the devil’s mother and child. Also on display is “Huang Yingchen’s Paintings of Dispelling Tired Ghosts and Landscapes”, which portrays a person dozing off in a courtyard study while an unkempt and meandering figure outside turns out to be a tired ghost. The colors and atmosphere of the artwork create a unique and eerie ambiance.
The “National Treasure Spotlight” exhibit showcases a selected national treasure of calligraphy and painting each season. The featured treasure in this display is “Song Malin’s Three Officials on Tour”, a large Taoist painting that showcases heavenly officials, local officials, and water officials, collectively known as the “three officials” on their ceremonial journey.
The “Three Officials” hold significance in Taiwan’s local beliefs, and paintings depicting their travels together are rare. These officials regularly traverse the three realms of heaven, earth, and water, investigating good and evil, as well as judging disasters and fortunes. Accompanied by heavenly generals, land gods, dragon kings, and fish spirits, their unique and diverse appearances make them a fascinating subject for observation.
Visitors to the National Palace Museum can now immerse themselves in this captivating display of paintings, offering a rare glimpse into the spiritual and mythical realms of ancient times.
[Reported by Epoch Times reporter Zhong Yuan in Taiwan, July 21, 2023]