Introduction
Have you ever noticed that the stone lions in front of temples do not look quite the same as the real lions you see in zoos? In fact, lions are not native to East Asia, and what people in antiquity knew about them was based on hearsay, fleeting glimpses, and imagination. This gap reveals an attitude towards the natural world that combined awe with reverence: By constructing myths, they projected unknown forces onto deities and a wide variety of ‘mythical creatures’.
Over millennia, these creatures have evolved beyond embodiments of the divine to become vessels for humanity’s hopes and blessings. Centered on the East Asian cultural sphere, this exhibition spans from pre-Qin antiquity to the modern era and features works from ancient bronzes to everyday household objects. Presented in collaboration with Beigang Chao-Tian Temple and the National Museum of Taiwan History, it reveals the richness and diversity of mythical creature culture.
The exhibition is structured around four guiding questions: what do mythical creatures look like, what status do they hold, what special powers do they have, and where do they appear? Drawing on classical texts, it traces the origins and transformations of these mysterious creatures.
We hope your visit will offer more than mere curiosities and new information, that you will also come to appreciate how artists, armed with nothing but words and oral traditions, gave tangible form to fantastical beings. In the dawning age of AI, this power to realize the imaginary is more precious than ever.