f all the many glorious periods in the history of the Chinese, that of the Sung Dynasty (宋代) stands out for emphasis on things cultural. This period of deep refinement gave birth to many of China's greatest cultural luminaries, and saw the cultivation of a milieu in which education and erudition became rooted as the twin pillars of Chinese society.

China at the Inception of the Second Millennium-Art and Culture of the Sung Dynasty (宋代文物展) is a special exhibition being staged at Taiwan's prestigious National Palace Museum (國立故宮博物院). The exhibition, running from March 29 to June 30, is part of the NPM's The Dawning of the Millennia (跨越二十世紀) series-a host of exhibitions celebrating the arrival of this new millennium of cultural exploration by looking back at some of the culture's greatest artistic periods and achievements. This current exhibition encompasses five themes: Tao and Art, Nature as Teacher, The Beauty of Simplicity, Life and Art, and Cultural Synthesis.

In Tao and Art, the idea that Sung-period philosophy differed from that of the great Han and Tang dynasties is explored; that of the Sung was more down-to-earth in scholars' contemplations on the workings of the great doctrines of the universe, nature, and the past. In Nature as Teacher, it is shown that Sung Taoists revered Nature by actively interacting with the natural world, while Sung Confucianists "sought knowledge through things", placing emphasis on observation and understanding. With The Beauty of Simplicity we see how, in the Sung, a sense of harmony between artist and subject, as well as viewer and object, became a crucial artistic ideal in Chinese culture. Following upon this is Life and Art, where it is demonstrated how people in the stable Sung period, enjoying a long period of economic prosperity, took to improving on a grand scale the quality of arts and crafts, using elegant designs and increasingly luxurious materials in creating works of art with practical use; these include silk tapestries, gold- and silverware, jades, lacquerware, and ceramics. Finally, in Cultural Synthesis, we see how during the Sung power was focused, with emperors carefully avoiding campaigns for territorial expansion; the result was the establishment of kingdoms and estates by non-Han peoples in areas adjoining the imperial territory, with cultural exchange and trade flourishing despite relations that were often uneasy.

Admission to the National Palace Museum (open 9 to 5 daily) is NT$80; group tickets are NT$65 per person. Guided tours are available in Chinese (daily), English (daily), and French (once a week); please register at the information desk. There is also a state-of-the-art hand-held audio tour system available, as well as tours for the handicapped. Visit the NPM website at http://www.npm.gov.tw

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