Taiwan’s National Palace Museum is home to one of the largest collections of ancient Chinese art. Centuries-old works may be difficult for modern viewers to understand, but museum employees are working hard to bridge the gap of time.
This work of art is called Along the River During the Qingming Festival. It’s an impressive work of art that’s over five meters long. It’s a wildly detailed painting that depicts daily life during the Song Dynasty.
Experts say this painting is close to 900 years old. It might be hard to imagine society back then, but with a little bit of creativity, museum employees have made this painting a little more relatable. Parts of the painting have been captioned and given a more modern context.
These two cool guys carrying poles on their back? Well, they’re just practicing some classical weightlifting techniques, bro. The Chinese word for “herbal medicine” sounds like “life,” so this apothecary sign has been meme-ified to say “That’s life, pal.” These three guys fighting over here? Well that’s just the ancient Chinese mixed-martial arts league.
Visitors are finding these little tidbits amusing, and it might be just the right way to sneak a bit of fun in your education. You can find Along the River During the Qingming Festival at the National Palace Museum’s Southern Branch in Chiayi until April 26.