Detail: This exhibition features 15 paintings from the Ming and Qing periods on the unique theme of prosperous cities. Most of the exhibits, once prized possessions of emperor Qianlong, are representative works in the history of painting. Offering an insight into China's urban wealth during the Ming and Qing periods, they include significant paintings such as Along the River during the Qingming Festival by Qiu Ying, Ten Views of West Lake by Wang Yuanqi and Prosperous Suzhou by Xu Yang.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is the handscroll by Xu Yang. Completed in 1759 during Qianlong's second Southern Inspection Tour, the scroll painting provides a panoramic but extraordinarily detailed view of 18th century Suzhou. In it, Xu painstakingly depicts people from all walks of life – from fishermen, woodcutters and tillers to merchants, literati and civil officers – as well as Suzhou's fascinating scenery, in which many prosperous aspects of the city during the High Qing era are emphasized.