TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A limited-edition BE@RBRICK figure by Japan’s Medicom Toy featuring a famed Chinese ancient handscroll painting was so popular that all of the 100 units were snapped up shortly after they went on sale on Tuesday (Aug. 29).

A collaboration with the National Palace Museum (NPM), the collectible is styled with a Qing Dynasty version of the painting “Up the River During Qingming” (清明上河圖), the original of which dates back to the Song Dynasty.

The scroll depicts the festive spirit at the Qingming Festival and offers a glimpse of the people, their clothing, and architecture—a microcosm of life during the Qing period. The Kubrick and teddy bear-inspired figure for the special edition even has a seal mark on its back, a nod to the Qing Emperor Qianlong’s peculiar fondness for using his imperial seals on a variety of objects.

According to NPM Director Hsiao Tsong-huang (蕭宗煌), the museum has sought to revive the public’s interest in visiting the venue post-pandemic through many crossover collaborations. In addition to the Bearbrick figure, its artifacts have appeared on chips, mooncakes, and hand-crafted beverages.

MEDICOM TOY launched its BE@RBRICK series in 2001, having rolled out editions featuring artworks at the British Museum, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and the Van Gogh Museum.

The NPM project took about 1.5 years and used a technique called water transfer printing. Many started to queue on Sunday (Aug. 27) for a chance to bring home the first BE@RBRICK launched in Taiwan, per CNA.

The figure is priced at NT$6,800 (US$213). There will be one set available every day at the NPM booth at the Huashan1914 Creative Park during the Creative Expo Taiwan 2023 (CET 2023), taking place between Sept. 26 and Oct. 1.

Taiwan’s NPM rolls out BE@RBRICK styled with Chinese painting. (NPM images)

A section of "Up the River During Qingming." (NPM photo)