TAIPEI (Taiwan News) —The Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum unveiled the exhibit "Kublai Khan and His Times" on Tuesday.

The exhibition features items from the Mongol Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368), ranging from portraits of the emperor and his wife, along with jade and celadon ware. The exhibition also highlights the exchange between Mongols and nearby cultures, Tibetan Buddhism and Islam, per CNA.

Curator Cheng Shu-fang (鄭淑方) said one of the most important works of this exhibition is "Portrait of Emperor Shizu (Kublai Khan)." She said this image was made using a layered smudge painting technique to simulate the texture of skin and create three-dimensional facial features.

According to Cheng, this style of portraiture is also found in the painting styles of Tibet and Nepal. A portrait of Kublai Khan's empress is done similarly to depict a Mongolian noble woman wearing her native Bogtag Malgai crown while also revealing Islamic gold brocade, indicating a fusion of cultures.

The exhibition divides Mongolian art into two distinct zones: the spring and autumn hunt. One item representing spring is a pale jade carving depicting the largest falcon in the world, the gyrfalcon, descending upon a swan resting amongst lotus flowers, representing the "spring waters" motif.

And to represent the other hunting period is a two-sided jade carving of a red-leafed oak canopy. The other side depicts a court lady offering incense to the goddess of longevity.

Jade ornaments were not only decorative but also symbols of power and social standing for Mongols. Many of these items incorporated traditional Chinese elements, such as cranes to represent longevity and lilies for fortune.

Another highlight of the exhibition is the "Stem Bowl with Celadon Glaze" made by Hangzhou's Tiger Cave kiln, which produced celadon for the previous Song Dynasty (960-1279) imperial court. The design of this bowl is convenient for passing by hand, reflecting Mongolian grassland banquet culture.

“Kublai Khan and His Times” runs until Oct. 12. The museum is open daily (except Mondays), with more information available at the following website.