TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The National Palace Museum (故宮博物院) launched a centennial celebration on Thursday (Jan. 15) with a special exhibition, "Enduring Legacy: A Centennial Celebration of the National Palace Museum," at its Southern Branch (故宮南院). The exhibition features the national treasure, "Draft of a Requiem for My Nephew" by Yan Zhenqing (唐顏真卿祭姪文稿卷), available for viewing until March 1.
Created by the Tang Dynasty calligrapher Yan Zhenqing (顏真卿) during the mid-8th-century An Lushan Rebellion, the "Draft of a Requiem for My Nephew" stands as a testament to his nephew Yan Jiming's (顏季明) martyrdom. The Southern Branch described the calligraphy as "unrestrained in style and brimming with emotion," marking it as Yan Zhenqing's most significant surviving work.
In 2019, the Tokyo National Museum (東京國立博物館) hosted "Unrivaled Calligraphy: Yan Zhenqing and His Legacy," attracting nearly 200,000 visitors. The Southern Branch lent the "Draft of a Requiem for My Nephew" for this exhibition. Despite the manuscript's chaotic and heavily revised appearance, Yuan Dynasty calligrapher Xianyu Shu (鮮于樞) praised it as the "second-best running script under heaven" for its unparalleled expression of loyalty and sorrow.
Yan Zhenqing, at 50, penned this draft over 1,200 years ago, pouring his suppressed grief into the eulogy for his young nephew who died for his country. The Southern Branch highlighted the manuscript's somber and mournful tone, reflecting the artist's deep personal loss. Visitors can expect an emotionally resonant experience as they explore this historical masterpiece.