Taiwan features a beautiful, diverse natural island environment, in which mountains running from north to south and oceans surrounding the island are found. By contrast, Mongolia, Tibet, and Muslim territories contain prairies and nomadic environments, in which the three states primarily run on a nomadic economy except for regions such as valleys and oases. Thus, the geography, religions, histories, and cultures of Mongolia, Tibet, and Muslim territories are remarkably different from those of Taiwan and mainland China. The gold ornaments unearthed from Scythian cultural cellars, the empire created by Genghis Khan as he travelled across different plains, and the unique cultures and arts of nomad people still continue to inspire people today.
The National Palace Museum (NPM) houses a substantial collection of Mongolian, Tibetan, and Muslim artifacts. The NPM has hosted a number of special exhibitions over the years including Age of the Great Khan: Pluralism in Chinese Art and Culture under the Mongols, Gold and Glory: The Wonders of Khitan from the Inner Mongolia Museum Collection, and Elegant Gathering of the Princess: The Culture of Appreciating and Collecting Art at the Mongol Yuan Court, in which the subjects of ethnic diversity and nomadic cultures were explored, opening visitors' eyes to the exotic, mysterious nomadic worlds.
Mongolia, Tibet, and Muslim territories, located in inner Asia, comprise mostly basins and plateaus, high terrains and latitudes, cold climates, and unstable rainfall. These environments have subsequently given birth to the regions' distinctive nomadic lifestyles, food cultures, and bright and gorgeous artistic styles.
This exhibition catalogue is based on the special exhibition Splendid Accessories of Nomadic Peoples: Mongolian, Muslim, and Tibetan Artifacts of the Qing Dynasty from the Museum Collection and contains sections that mirror those of the special exhibition; the sections consist of "Esteemed Vessels of Food and Drink," "Immersed in Tibetan Buddhism," "Conversing in Coral and Turquoise," and "Treasures Transcending Borders." Readers will be able to see how nomadic peoples coexist with the environment as well as use the nomadic people's religious beliefs to decipher their views of heaven and earth. In addition, the development routes and spread of these people are studied by investigating the aesthetics in their arts and crafts as well as their cross-cultural and cross-national exchanges and integrations. Furthermore, the object-observation perspective is adopted to showcase how dissimilar environments lead to cultural differences. By hosting this special exhibition, the NPM illustrates the artistic properties of the various artifacts as well as explain their cultural history and characteristics.