Tales of the Forbidden City

In the first section of this book, "Talking About Cultural Relics," Nojima Tsuyoshi discusses 37 important pieces in the National Palace Museum in Taipei, including Jadeite Cabbage, Travelers Among Mountains and Streams, Quick Snow in a Sunny Day, the Mao Gong Ding, and Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains. At times he describes the works themselves, but more often he explores the historical circumstances in which they were created and the stories of how these relics were displaced during wartime. The second section, "Talking About the Palace Museum," focuses in each chapter on historical figures and events connected to the Palace Museum, offering a close look at its past. "The history of the Palace Museum is a microcosm of modern Chinese history. Culture reflects everything about China, and the Chinese people also use culture to reflect on their history and fate." The third section, "Visiting Figures of the Past," features interviews with former Palace Museum directors and other public figures, bringing to light little-known historical details.