The Lives and Culture of the Payuan People of Taiwan
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Vest, Southern Taiwan, Second half of 19th–start of 20th century
Asian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 13
May 10, 2022 (Tue) - July 31, 2022 (Sun)Taiwan’s population includes not only Han Chinese, who originally came from the mainland, but also 16 indigenous tribes. Of these tribes, the Payuan people based in southern Taiwan form a hereditary society that consists of two classes: the nobility and commoners.
This exhibit shows clothing and tools pertaining to the daily lives and culture of the Payuan people. Among these, two swords have designs incorporating a venomous snake that these people have long revered as a symbol of the nobility’s ancestral spirits. A vest, another object in the lineup, is made of clouded leopard fur―a material only chiefs, the highest-ranking members of the nobility, were allowed to wear. These and other objects on display reflect the social and spiritual values of the Payuan people.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | Vest | Southern Taiwan | Second half of 19th–start of 20th century | TK-238 | |||
| Highlight | Sword | Southern Taiwan | Second half of 19th–first half of 20th century | TK-3364 |