Ancient paintings offer clues to literary classics at new Hangzhou exhibition

As World Book Day falls on April 23, a new exhibition tailored to this theme opened in Hangzhou, Zhejiang on Monday. It boasts a collection of ancient paintings restored using cutting-edge technology that reflect traditional Chinese culture and ideas related to reading, Chinese literary classics and cross-cultural exchanges.

The show covers 2,065 square meters and the paintings are rendered as high-definition color prints.

Digital technology has been applied to restore many artworks that were blurred or damaged. Important parts of the paintings have been magnified using high-precision technology, enabling visitors to appreciate them in clear, intact and beautiful colors.

The content showcased in the exhibition is derived from the book "Compilation of Classics in the Flourishing Age," compiled and published by Zhejiang University and the Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau as a national-level cultural project.

The book includes 12,405 sets of ancient Chinese paintings from 263 cultural and heritage institutions worldwide. Among them, 9,155 sets are from China and the rest overseas, covering the vast majority of extant "national treasures" of ancient Chinese painting.

The exhibition focuses on the people, events, objects, and scenes related to "reading" in ancient Chinese paintings. It also highlights the literary allusions in paintings from various dynasties and offers interactive experiences so visitors can "read" or appreciate through new technologies.

The show paves the way for the upcoming 2nd National Conference on Reading. It is expected to run at the Zhejiang Exhibition Hall until May 2.