The Qing Version of Along the River during Qingming Festival
By Artists of the Qing Court
in 1736
The scroll was based on the original painting of Along the River during Qingming Festival (Qingming Shanghe Tu) by Zhang Zeduan in Northern Song (960-1127). The artists added details of special customs of the time such as spring outing, opera, monkey circus, and acrobatics. As the western oil painting techniques had been introduced to the court, the painters also adopted perspective in the otherwise two-dimensional streets and houses.
For historical and political reasons, Chinese people on the mainland never had a chance to witness these cultural treasures housed in the Palace Museum in Taipei. Fortunately relations across the Straits have seen great improvement following the opening up of the Three Direct Links and the visits by Chinese tourists to the island.
This February, a delegation headed by Taipei museum director Chou Kung-shin arrived in Beijing for their first-ever visit to discuss potential cooperation with Beijing's Palace Museum, the rivals’ first joint cultural program for six decades.
In early March, Zheng Xinmiao, the curator of the Beijing Palace Museum, also made a high-profile return visit to Taipei for the same reason.
This cooperation, if successful, will make it possible for people in Taiwan to appreciate the cultural treasures kept in the Beijing Palace Museum. Likewise, someday, people in Mainland China will hopefully have a similar chance to see treasures from the National Museum of Taipei.
Editor: Dong Jirong
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