China's first gallery for disabled people opens in Beijing

China's first gallery for the disabled opened in Beijing on Sunday, offering a place for them to showcase calligraphic work and paintings.

The gallery was established by the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF) and China Braille Library and will be used for fine art exhibition and training for people with disabilities.

More than 150 paintings have been on display since Sunday in the gallery's debut exhibition. Entry is free to the public throughout the year.

The country is paying more attention to the disabled's emotional and cultural needs while improve their living standards, said CDPF chair Zhang Haidi. The move will offer a stimulus for disabled groups to show their talent and make their life more colorful and dignified, she said.

Zhang asked disabled federations to help in creating art and better protect disabled people's rights.