Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture recently announced that a total of 80 items from the National Palace Museum’s collection, including 79 items from the “Illustrated Descriptions of Various Buildings in Taiwan Prefecture” and 1 item of the “Qianlong Map of Taiwan,” have been designated as important artifacts. The museum stated that a selection of colored illustrations will be exhibited at the northern branch in June.
The “Illustrated Descriptions of Various Buildings in Taiwan Prefecture” is a Qing Dynasty manuscript containing 79 colored illustrations and accompanying texts, documenting various constructions such as temples, government offices, military installations, educational institutions, and public facilities built during the tenure of Jiang Yuanshu, the Magistrate of Taiwan Prefecture from 1775 to 1778. The book adopts a “one illustration, one explanation” format, showcasing historical architectural achievements.
Through these valuable historical documents, long-lost structures like the central yamen, Taiwan’s sub-prefecture mansions, the Lugumeng Mansion, the Taicheng Lookout, and the Changhua County Lookout are resurrected on paper. Present-day buildings like the Mazu Temple, City God Temple, and Taiwan Prefectural School are depicted in their original forms, reflecting the rich cultural landscape of Taiwan Prefecture at the latter part of the 18th century.
The “Qianlong Map of Taiwan” features a traditional hand-painted style depicting the natural landscapes and cultural scenes of Taiwan Island and its surrounding areas, including the Penghu Archipelago. The map follows a northeast-southwest orientation, describing geological features and indigenous settlements with remarkable detail, providing insights into the topography beyond the central mountain range.
Noteworthy details on this map include the illustration of indigenous village names in the eastern region above the mountains, showcasing the cartographer’s knowledge of tribal distributions despite the lack of detailed landscapes. Additionally, the map highlights observations of Taiwan’s coastal areas, documenting marine life and ports frequented by ships in the region, offering a glimpse into the local maritime characteristics.
In recent years, the “Illustrated Descriptions of Various Buildings in Taiwan Prefecture” has been featured in exhibitions such as “Selected Masterpieces from Museum Collections: Colored Illustrated Books” and “Building Cities: Qing Dynasty Documents and Images of Various Taiwan Cities.”
As part of this year’s centennial celebration of the National Palace Museum, a special exhibition titled “The Resonance of the Palace: Courtly Music in Historical Documents” will showcase a selection of colored illustrations from the “Illustrated Descriptions of Various Buildings in Taiwan Prefecture” at the northern branch from June 21st to September 7th. The “Qianlong Map of Taiwan” is expected to be displayed in future thematic exhibitions, narrating the stories of 18th-century Taiwan through vivid illustrations and historical texts.