Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/11
By: Sabine Cheng and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, Jan. 11 (CNA) Located in Taibao City in Chiayi County, the National

Palace Museum’s southern branch, which opened late last year, is focused on Asian art and culture, including Taiwan and China, and is aimed at balancing the cultural development between the northern and southern parts of Taiwan, according to the museum’s director, Fung Ming-chu (馮明珠).

The museum features tall, modern architectural-style buildings, in stark contrast to the National Palace Museum, established 66 years ago in Taipei’s Shilin District.

The southern branch project was initiated in July 2001 and officially opened Dec. 28, 2015.

Unlike the National Palace Museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of nearly 700,000 priceless Chinese art pieces spanning China’s nearly 5,000-year history, the southern branch has been set up as an Asian art and culture museum, according to Fung.     [FULL  STORY]