Introduction
The In Their Footsteps: a Special Exhibition of Images and Documents on Indigenous Peoples in Taiwan exhibition catalogue is divided into four sections based on the artifacts displayed. The four sections comprise “Tribal Boundaries,” “Indigenous Customs,” “Diversity and Interaction,” and “Imagery and Text.” The “Tribal Boundaries” section introduces illustrations of costumes, disposition, and customs of Taiwan’s indigenous peoples as well as the indigenous tribes with their names and relative locations. The “Indigenous Customs” section explores the many customs and objects of the indigenous peoples. The “Diversity and Interaction” section demonstrates the diverse interactions between Taiwan’s indigenous peoples and the outside world. The “Imagery and Text” section reveals the details of the indigenous peoples’ life through hand-drawn images. This exhibition was made possible through the use of the National Palace Museum’s collection combined with rare books and historical documents borrowed from the Institute of History and Philology (of the Academia Sinica), the National Taiwan Museum, the National Taiwan Library, the National Museum of Taiwan History, and The Palace Museum (in Beijing). Readers will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the unique culture of the indigenous peoples, making it a must read for all aficionados.