Legend of the Chinese Imperial Collection

Author: Janet Elliott [USA]
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: The vicissitudes of China's national treasures, a history of political evolution. From Qin Emperor fetching the tripod from the waters of Si River to Emperor Huizong's grand construction of the Garden of Geng, and even the painstaking efforts of the Taipei Palace Museum to exhibit in the United States—these events have always used national treasures as political leverage to tilt the scales in their favor. In 1949, the complete collection of Chinese imperial artifacts was divided into two, each proceeding independently in Beijing and Taipei. What will their fates be? The legend of national treasures and politics is unfinished and will never be finished. This book traces the origins and development of the Chinese imperial collection, allowing us to witness the storms and winds the royal artifacts have endured in the tumultuous history of China. The author also pays special attention to the political significance of the imperial collection, dedicating considerable space to the Republic period's imperial artifacts, which are often less covered in other works. The book is comprehensive in its research and concise in language.