Jadeite Cabbage

Jadeite Cabbage
ArtistUnknown
Year19th century
TypeJadeite sculpture
Dimensions18.7 cm × 9.1 cm (7.4 in × 3.6 in)
LocationNational Palace Museum, Taipei

The Jadeite Cabbage (Chinese: 翠玉白菜; pinyin: Cuìyù Báicài; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chhùi-ge̍k Pe̍h-chhài) or Jadeite Cabbage with Insects is a piece of jadeite carved into the shape of a Chinese cabbage head, and with a locust and katydid camouflaged in the leaves. It is part of the collection of the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan.[1]

Despite its popularity with museum-goers and frequent misrepresentation as a national treasure, it is only designated as a significant antiquity, having less rarity and value than required for categorization as a national treasure under the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act.[2] For example, the Jadeite Cabbage has been called the "most famous masterpiece" of the entire National Palace Museum,[3] and along with the Meat-Shaped Stone and the Mao Gong Ding, is today called one of the Three Treasures of the National Palace Museum, a redesignation from several less accessible, infrequently-displayed works.[4] It has also been chosen by the public as the most important item in the museum's entire collection.[5]

  1. ^ Jadeite Cabbage with Insects at the National Palace Museum website. Retrieved 20 November 2010.
  2. ^ 江昭倫，故宮副院長馮明珠：不反對翠玉白菜、肉形石升級為國寶，中央廣播電台，2009-03-26[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hook was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ 倪再沁 (2007). "神畫的形塑—論故宮三寶".
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Ju was invoked but never defined (see the help page).