Taiwan

Taipei National Palace Museum Travel Guide

Jadeite Cabbage · Meat-shaped Stone · Northern Song Calligraphy and Painting

The National Palace Museum, located in WaiShuangXi, Taipei, Taiwan, China, houses nearly 700,000 cultural artifacts, with its Song and Yuan dynasty paintings, Song dynasty ceramics, and Qing imperial treasures being the most famous. The Jadeite Cabbage and the Meat-Shaped Stone are two items that you must see even if it means standing in line.

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Destination Details

Key facts

Best seasonAll year

Suggested stay3 hours

Key highlightsJadeite Cabbage · Meat-shaped Stone · Northern Song Calligraphy and Painting · Five Famous Kilns of the Song Dynasty

TrafficTransfer from Shilin Station on the Taipei Metro Tamsui-Xinyi Line to a bus for about 15 minutes

RemindFlash photography is prohibited inside the museum; popular exhibits attract many visitors, so it is recommended to enter as soon as the museum opens.

The National Palace Museum, located in Waishuangxi, Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan, China, was completed and opened in 1965. The museum houses nearly 700,000 pieces, primarily from the Qing Dynasty imperial collection, spanning from the Neolithic period to the late Qing Dynasty.

Key Highlights

Jadeite Cabbage and Meat-Shaped Stone

These two are the museum's most popular "star" pieces: The Jadeite Cabbage is expertly carved from a single piece of jadeite according to its natural colors into a cabbage with insects; the veins of the leaves and insect antennae are intricately detailed. The Meat-Shaped Stone is agate with natural patterns modified by craftsmen to resemble a piece of braised pork. Both pieces are small and require a close look.

Northern Song Dynasty Paintings and Porcelain

The true backbone of this museum is its paintings and porcelain: Fan Kuan's "Travellers Among Mountains and Streams," Guo Xi's "Early Spring," and Li Tang's "Pine Wind in Ten Thousand Valleys" are indispensable works in art history; Ru kiln, Ding kiln, and Jun kiln Song porcelains are standard pieces in the history of ceramics. These exhibitions are permanent but rotate, so it is recommended to check the current exhibits in advance.

Qing Dynasty Treasures

There are large quantities of enamels, jade carvings, ivory, and cloisonné pieces, all with extremely high craftsmanship, allowing a direct view of the aesthetics and techniques of the Qing imperial court.

Suggested Route

Three-hour version: First floor, Qing Dynasty treasures → Second floor, paintings → Third floor, artifacts → Jadeite Cabbage and Meat-Shaped Stone.
Combine with Shilin Night Market, Yangmingshan, and Beitou Hot Springs for a full day in Taipei.

Practical Information

Take the MRT Tamsui-Xinyi Line to Shilin Station, then transfer to a bus for about fifteen minutes. It is recommended to enter when the museum opens and head straight to the exhibition hall where the Jadeite Cabbage is to avoid the crowd. Flash photography and tripods are prohibited inside. Renting an audio guide is worthwhile. The exhibition halls are large and the route is long, so wear comfortable shoes.