Where did most of its collection originally come from?

The imperial collection of Beijing's Forbidden City

National Palace Museum Quiz: Taipei's Jade Cabbage and More

This National Palace Museum quiz explores one of the world's great collections of Chinese art in Taipei. Play 10 interactive questions on its imperial origins in Beijing's Forbidden City, the move to Taiwan in 1948 and 1949, its huge number of objects, the Jadeite Cabbage and its insect, the Meat-shaped Stone, the Mao Gong Ding bronze, the 1965 building and the southern branch.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

City
Which city is the National Palace Museum in?
Origin
Where did most of its collection originally come from?
Move
When was much of the collection moved to Taiwan?
Size
About how many objects does it hold?
Cabbage
What is the Jadeite Cabbage?
Insects
What is carved on the Jadeite Cabbage leaves?
Meat
What does the Meat-shaped Stone look like?
Bronze
Which ancient bronze has a long inscription?
Opened
When did the current museum open in Taipei?
Branch
Where is the museum's southern branch?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Which city is the National Palace Museum in?
Answer: Taipei
It is in Taiwan.
Q2: Where did most of its collection originally come from?
Answer: The imperial collection of Beijing's Forbidden City
Emperors collected for centuries.
Q3: When was much of the collection moved to Taiwan?
Answer: 1948 to 1949
It was shipped during the civil war.
Q4: About how many objects does it hold?
Answer: Around 700,000
Only a small share is shown at once.
Q5: What is the Jadeite Cabbage?
Answer: A jade carving of a cabbage
It is the museum's most famous piece.
Q6: What is carved on the Jadeite Cabbage leaves?
Answer: Insects like a katydid
They may symbolize fertility.
Q7: What does the Meat-shaped Stone look like?
Answer: A piece of braised pork belly
It is made of jasper.
Q8: Which ancient bronze has a long inscription?
Answer: Mao Gong Ding
It dates from the Zhou dynasty.
Q9: When did the current museum open in Taipei?
Answer: 1965
It looks like a traditional palace.
Q10: Where is the museum's southern branch?
Answer: Chiayi County
It opened in 2015.

Imperial Treasures and a Jade Cabbage

The National Palace Museum in Taipei holds one of the world's greatest collections of Chinese art, around 700,000 objects. Most come from the imperial collection kept for centuries by emperors in Beijing's Forbidden City. During China's civil war, much of it was shipped to Taiwan in 1948 and 1949.

The current museum, built like a traditional palace, opened in 1965. Only a small share of the collection is shown at once, so exhibits rotate. Its most famous piece is the Jadeite Cabbage, a carving using the stone's green and white colors, with insects such as a katydid hidden on its leaves.

Another favorite is the Meat-shaped Stone, a piece of jasper carved to look like braised pork belly. The Mao Gong Ding, an ancient bronze vessel from the Zhou dynasty, bears a long inscription. In 2015 a southern branch opened in Chiayi County to share more of the collection.

What This Quiz Teaches

Art fans will enjoy these questions.

Where the collection came from
When it moved to Taiwan
Which pieces are famous
How large it is
Where else it is shown

Did You Know?

Visitors often queue long to see the cabbage.
Paintings and calligraphy are shown for short periods to protect them.
The museum shop sells cabbage-themed souvenirs.
Chinese gardens surround the main building.
Taipei 101 is a short ride away.