I was 10 years old when I saw it for the very first time. That encounter set off my fascination with the Chinese ancient art and history, and made National Palace Museum my must-visit every time I am in Taipei.
Meat-shaped Stone 肉形石
Jadeite | Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) | H: 6.6 cm, L: 7.9 cm | National Palace Museum Collection. 玉｜清 （公元1644年-1911年在位）｜長7.9公分 通高6.6公分｜國立故宮博物院藏
Jadeite | Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) | H: 6.6 cm, L: 7.9 cm | National Palace Museum Collection.
玉｜清 （公元1644年-1911年在位）｜長7.9公分 通高6.6公分｜國立故宮博物院藏
What looks tantalisingly similar to a tender piece of mouth-watering braised pork belly is actually a hard mineral known as banded jasper. This mineral naturally appears with layers that, in this case, can suggest those of fat and meat in a piece of pork.
Among the beautiful stones resembling jade, quartz-based agate and jasper, with their unique and diverse textures and colours, are often skillfully carved. The museum’s prized “Qing Dynasty Meat-Shaped Stone,” a type of jasper, features layered textures, which the artisan utilised for further processing.
First, fine dots were drilled into the surface to create the effect of pores and to make the texture more porous and easier to dye. Next, the upper layer was dyed a brownish-red, resembling pork skin soaked in soy sauce. This transforms the seemingly cold and hard stone into something reminiscent of the tender, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth flavour of “Dongpo pork”—truly a masterpiece of perfect harmony between heaven and earth.
In the collection of the National Palace Museum, two of the most famous works on display are “Jadeite Cabbage” and “Meat-shaped Stone,” which is why these two are often exhibited together for visitors to appreciate.
Jadeite Cabbage 翠玉白菜
Jadeite | Guangxu Reign (r. 1875-1908), Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) | Dimensions – H:18.7cm, W: 9.1cm, Thickness: 5.07cm | National Palace Museum Collection 玉｜清 光绪（公元1875年-1908年在位）｜高18.7公分，宽9.1公分，厚度达到5.07公分｜國立故宮博物院藏
This carving of a napa cabbage in jadeite is the most popular piece in the collection of the National Palace Museum. The craftsman followed the natural colours of the jadeite to turn the green part into the leafy area and the white one into the stems.
The visual features here perfectly convey the colour of braised pork and can even elicit its aroma and taste in the viewer’s mind, not only preserving the essence of Chinese culinary tradition but also recalling fond memories of this dish. To help you with this image, this was an excellent example I tasted many years ago, the flavour and presentation lingered in my memories all these time.
All photos taken at National Palace Museum Oct 2025, unless otherwise noted.
About Chinese National Treasure Series
中華國寶系列 Chinese National Treasure series feature specific artefacts and relics from museums all around the world that are historically significant to be considered a National Treasure. The series covers the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation from Neolithic periods before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) to modern day.
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