Reproductions of the National Palace Museum's famed Jadeite Cabbage with Insects have been put back on museum store shelves after being relabeled to “better reflect the truth,” a museum official said yesterday.
Museum deputy director Feng Ming-chu (馮明珠) said four types of souvenirs featuring the popular cabbage design have now been given a “Designed in Taiwan” label to go along with the original “Made in China” marking on the product's packaging.
The museum withdrew the souvenirs from shelves to have them relabeled after lawmakers protested that the “Made in China” label on the most prized souvenir among Chinese tourists was not only ironic but harmed Taiwan's image.
“The new label better reflects the actual production process of the souvenir items,” Feng said.
Feng said the museum sells more than 2,000 types of souvenirs or reproductions of its collection, of which 81 are related to the famous jade carving from the Qing Dynasty.
All 81 souvenirs related to the cabbage carving were designed in Taiwan, but four were manufactured in China and have been relabeled, she said.
Feng said the museum appreciated the timely “reminder” from lawmakers and the local media that it should review its procurement policy.
Speaking at a meeting of the legislature's Transportation Committee on Wednesday, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiang Lien-fu (江連福) said it was ironic and pathetic that the reproductions bought in such large volumes by Chinese tourists turned out to be made in China.
Janice Lai (賴瑟珍), director-general of the Tourism Bureau, said at the time that the practice was not uncommon, as officials also found China-made woodcarvings on sale in shops in Sanyi (三義), Miaoli County — Taiwan's center for wood handicrafts and art works.
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