Palace Museum to display ancient Chinese landscape painting

An 11.9-meter long scroll with a history of over 900 years will be on display in the Palace Museum on Friday in Beijing.

The painting, entitled "A Vast Land," is created by renowned Chinese painter Wang Ximeng.[Photo: Xinhua]

The painting, entitled "A Vast Land," was created by renowned Chinese painter Wang Ximeng when he was just 18 years old, during the Song Dynasty in the year 1113.

The painting has been regarded as one of the best among traditional Chinese landscape paintings.

Wang Zhongxu is an associate research fellow of the painting and calligraphy department of the Palace Museum.

"We exhibited it in 2009 and 2013 but we only had a small display case so then part of the painting was not shown to spectators. This time, we have made a case specially for the painting so that we can exhibit every part of it."

Wang Ximeng was one of the most famous court painters in the Song Dynasty, and he supposedly learned painting under the guidance of Emperor Huizong (1082-1135).

Wang is said to have created this famous painting in just six months. Unfortunately the talented painter died at the age of 23, and this painting is his only work that has been handed down to later generations.

The display of the scroll is part of the annual exhibition of the Palace Museum's collections.