• 2012-06-01

Erudition: An Exhibition on Reading the Ancient Aesthetics of Living

Since its foundation in 1933, the National Central Library of the Republic of China has borne the heavy responsibility of collecting and conserving the nation’s important documents. The Library’s special and treasured collections include in excess of 12,000 items from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. These collections have always been held in high esteem by the international academic community for both the quality and quantity of their documents. They are regarded not only as one of Taiwan’s treasured resources, but also as an important asset for the research of human knowledge.

In order to attract overseas Chinese and foreign friends, enabling an even greater number of interested readers to investigate traditional Chinese culture and literary works through the National Central Library’s rich collection, the exhibition is divided into four main themes: Leisure Life of the Literati; Dramatic Literature; Conceptions of Health; and Observing Nature. Besides reprinting ancient books in the Library’s collection relating to these themes, alongside these, this exhibition places related modern Taiwanese publications and some of the fruits of its rare book digitization projects. Reading ancient books is not just a way to get into investigating the classics, it is also a shortcut linking the aesthetics of living of ancient and modern people; in re-examining how this small group of literati blended their personal tastes with their everyday lives, this exhibition also demonstrates the ancients’ emphasis on culture, veneration of nature, and valuing of life.

Exhibition Information:

New York (Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York)

2012/06/19～2012/07/18, Monday-Friday 09:00~16:30

Houston (Culture Center of TECO in Houston)

2012/06/21～2012/07/22, Open daily 9:30-17:30 Closed every Monday

Los Angeles (Culture Center of TECO in Los Angeles)

2012/06/24～2012/07/22, Open daily 10:00-18:00 Closed every Monday

For more information, please go to http://goo.gl/gznSD

Contact: Hsiao-ming Yu ( Director of Special Collection Division ),  Ching-ling Juan ( Assistant Editor, Special Collection Division)

Tel: 02-23619132 ext. 401
E-mail：hmyu@ncl.edu.tw