Five centuries ago, Columbus sailed boldly into the unknown in search of the Orient only to arrive at the New World instead, never to glimpse the wonder-filled Cathay of his dreams. Today, visitors to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., are more fortunate than he was: they can view treasures from Ming-Dynasty China, the China of 500 years ago, in a single day's tour.
昔日哥倫布壯志雄心航往東方探險，卻意外到了新大陸，而未能一睹充滿傳奇的中國；今天每一位進入美國華盛頓國家藝術館的觀眾，竟是比哥倫布還幸運，可在短短一天中，一窺五百年前的明朝中國。