臺灣文學虛擬博物館

This section displays items prized by their owners in everyday life. While not directly connected to literary careers, items such as smoking pipes, decorative jewelry, and travel souvenirs hint at the style and unaffected elegance carried by Taiwan’s modern authors as well as at these authors’ personal interests and preferences.

Fan of white peacock feathers (Donor: the family of Chang Hsiu-ya)
This peacock-feather fan, collected by Chang Hsiu-ya (1919-2001), perfectly complemented the author’s refined beauty and sophistication.

Binoculars (Donor: Chu Tien-wen)
A pair of American military-style binoculars once owned by Chu Hsi-ning (1927-1998).

Royal blue pillbox with pearl inlay (Donor: the family of Chang Hsiu-ya)
This is a small pillbox collected by Chang Hsiu-ya (1919-2001). This piece is delicately carved and elegantly made.

Various badges pinned to a banner (Donor: Chu Tien-wen)
Chu Hsi-ning (1927-1998) was an avid collector of military patches and badges. The 49 badges displayed here include (on the bottom left corner) Chu’s own military ID tag. The badges are affixed to an NCKU school banner.

Necklace (Donor: Chen Tien-hsin, Chen Sheng, and Chen Chieh)
Sanmao (1943-1991) purchased this necklace during her stay in the Canary Islands. The necklace is featured in her work My Precious in the chapter “Necklace.”

Microscope (Donor: Chan Yuan-hsiung)
Known as the “Poet-Physician of Yongjing”, Chan Tso-chou (1891-1980) of Yongjing District in Changhua County was both a full-time physician and a prolific poet.

Jewelry Box (Donor: Ai Wen)
This gold jewelry box was owned by Ai Wen (1923-2009).

Wherefore Time (Donor: Chen Tien-hsin, Chen Sheng, and Chen Chieh)
Sanmao (1943-1991) received this as a gift from a friend and is mentioned in her work My Precious in the chapter “Wherefore Time.”

Small, Ceramic Teapot (Donor: Yungtze)
The poet Yungtze (1922-2021) purchased this piece while visiting a reproductions museum in Greece. He described the piece as “a handmade artistic reproduction of a famous piece of ceramic art from ancient Greece. The human figure is outlined in black glaze, the lines are delicate, and the presentation is elegant.”

Pocket Watches and Necklaces (Donor: Kuo Ming-chin)
This pocket watch necklace belonged to author and translator Hu Pin-ching (1927-2006). Kuo Min-chin, a student of Hu’s and Editor in Chief at Jyhi Publishing Co., donated this piece to NMTL.

Bamboo Smoking Pipe shaped like a Sweetsop Fruit (Donor: Wang Chun-yueh)
This curiously shaped smoking pipe was once owned by Tainan scholar and poet Wang Kai-yun (1889-1969). Wang was an avid author and smoker, and was known to regularly give pipes to his friends, saving a precious few for himself. Wang’s pipes offer a window onto his everyday life and passions.

Crystal Necklace given by Sanmao to the author Chao Yun (Donor: Chao Yun and Wang Chia-cheng)
Sanmao (1943-1991) enjoyed a close friendship with Chao Yun (1933-2014). Sanmao’s mother presented this pin to Chao Yun as a symbol of her and her daughter’s mutual affections.

Sun Moon Lake Commemorative Bamboo Smoking Pipe (Donor: Wang Chun-yueh)
This Sun Moon Lake souvenir smoking pipe of Tainan scholar and poet Wang Kai-yun (1889-1969) has a surface etched with local indigenous totems. Wang was an avid author and smoker, and was known to regularly give pipes to his friends, saving a precious few for himself. Wang’s pipes offer a window onto his everyday life and passions.

Pin given by Sanmao’s mother to the author Chao Yun (Donor: Chao Yun and Wang Chia-cheng)
Sanmao (1943-1991) enjoyed a close friendship with Chao Yun (1933-2014). Sanmao’s mother presented this pin to Chao Yun as a symbol of her and her daughter’s mutual affections.

Mahjong Pieces (Donor: Liu Han-chung)
Tainan-born author Liu Na’ou (1905-1940) became a leader in the contemporary Neo-Sensation School of literature along with fellow authors Shi Zechun and Tai Van-chou while living in Shanghai during the 1920s~30s. In addition to his literary interests, Liu was an avid mahjong player and dancer, and a natural fit with Shanghai’s ‘golden age.’