Taiwan’s Imperial Chinese treasures go on display in Prague for the first time in Europe
The National Museum in Prague is hosting 100 Treasures, 100 Stories. On loan from the National Palace Museum in Taipei, it brings masterpieces of Chinese art to Europe for the very first time. At its heart is the famous jadeite cabbage, often compared to the Mona Lisa for its popularity and cultural significance.
Most of the objects on display come from the Qing dynasty, which ruled China from the mid-17th to the early 20th century. The exhibition’s highlight is the jadeite cabbage, declared by Taiwan a national cultural treasure. About twenty centimetres tall, it was carved from a single block of jade. Hidden in its dark green leaves are a grasshopper and a cricket.
Curator Ondřej Crhák explains that the piece was originally created as a wedding gift for an imperial concubine:
“The piece itself is not that old. It dates from the late 19th century. But it is a perfect example of the highest artistry achievable with jade. This is a rare opportunity, since the cabbage has only been displayed in Japan before. This is its first appearance in Europe. Given its importance to the National Palace Museum and to Chinese culture, that makes it truly unique.”
Visitors can also see scrolls measuring 14 and 12 meters in length. One of them, Along the River during the Qingming Festival, offers a vivid picture of daily life in ancient China. A large animated projection allows audiences to walk through the city and feel the atmosphere of the bustling streets.
Other treasures include a cabinet made of red sandalwood with porcelain panels, jade discs, archery rings, figurines, and snuff bottles.
The treasures of the Chinese Empire have been kept in Taiwan since 1948, when they were transported there by the army of General Chiang Kai-shek, the Nationalist leader forced out by Mao’s communists.
The exhibition in Prague is not only about art. It also carries political significance. The objects on display were once part of the Chinese imperial collections and are claimed both by Taiwan and by the People’s Republic of China. Beijing has not yet issued an official reaction, but it often accuses Taiwan of using these treasures to strengthen what it calls cultural independence.
Because of this sensitivity, the loan required special guarantees. Taiwan insisted the artworks could not be seized while abroad. To make that possible, Czechia amended its cultural heritage law in early 2023.
Bringing the collection to Prague was the result of two decades of effort by the National Museum. Director Michal Lukeš recalls that diplomacy alone was not enough. The building itself had to be transformed to meet the strictest standards.
“Before the renovation, the museum was in a state of disrepair. To host pieces of this calibre, we had to restore the building and install state-of-the-art security and climate control systems. Only then could we welcome artefacts of such immense value.”
The opening of the exhibition coincided with a visit by Taiwan’s Minister of Culture, Li Yuan. In Prague, he paid tribute to Václav Havel at the library that bears his name. A writer himself, the minister also signed a memorandum with the Moravian Library in Brno to support residencies for Czech writers in Taiwan.
