The Palace Museum and Ancient History

I always seem to forget just how old Asia culture is. We went to the Palace Museum and the pieces on display stretched way back to before the Common Era. But the techniques and designs never seemed rudimentary. They were working with chemistry (whether or not it was known to be chemistry) to age bronze, writing and recording analects on how to control water, painting with textures from fabric to fur, and clearly displaying emotion long before many of the more modern countries were even beginning to get started. There was so much to take in. It really made me realize how young the United States are. But also, it made me realize how removed Asia is from the rest of the world. When learn about art and religious history, we lump most of the word in to a progressive category, analyzing art and culture as it develops and spreads from its roots to neighboring countries and around the world. On the contrary, East Asian countries like China are given a completely separate and isolated category. The intricate artwork of China began in China and remained there. Their discoveries and records didn’t leave the country. Even in theatre history, we learn about East Asian theatre as a completely different tract than the rest of the world. Going through the museum was the first time I really focused on the deep separation of East Asia from the rest of the world.