Splendor: Cultural Imagery of the Chuci and the Dragon Boat Festival

This exhibition introduces the Elegies of Chu, a cornerstone of early Chinese literature from the Warring States period, known for its rich, symbolic style and strong sense of personal voice, according to the National Palace Museum.

At its center is Qu Yuan, a poet-official who, according to legend, drowned himself in protest, and whose story later became tied to the Dragon Boat Festival, when people race boats and eat sticky rice dumplings to honor him.

The exhibition is divided into three sections, covering the origins of his poetry, its influence on culture, and its long afterlife in festivals and folklore.