A visitor tries to make a woodblock Chinese New Year painting at an exhibition in Kathmandu, Nepal, Jan. 24, 2025. An exhibition of 60 woodblock Chinese New Year paintings was inaugurated here on Friday, offering a glimpse into the celebration of the Spring Festival in China. (Photo by Hari Maharjan/Xinhua)

An exhibition of 60 woodblock Chinese New Year paintings was inaugurated here on Friday, offering a glimpse into the celebration of the Spring Festival in China.

On display are select collections of New Year paintings of Old Jiaochang, centered around Shanghai's Old City God Temple. Known for their innovative themes and exquisite craftsmanship, the paintings uniquely reflect the blend of traditional Chinese customs and Western culture during the late 19th century.

Each of these paintings from the Shanghai History Museum has bright and intense colors, delicate and vivid lines, and rich and diverse themes, ranging from myths and legends to secular life, and from opera stories to auspicious patterns, showing the wisdom and creativity of the Chinese people and conveying profound connotations of traditional Chinese culture, noted Zhou Qunhua, head of the museum.

The exhibition, jointly hosted by the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism and China Cultural Center in Nepal at the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, is open to the public till Jan. 31.

The exhibition offers a glimpse into Shanghai's cultural lifestyle, Naradmani Hartamchhali, the academy's chancellor, spoke at the opening ceremony.

He voiced appreciation for the opportunity to "see the beauty of Shanghai through arts," adding "Let's plan for mutual cultural visits in the coming days."

"We are happy to note that China's unprecedented progress in recent decades comes from its rich cultural heritage and is deeply rooted in history and yet alive with the vibrancy of changing times," said Sujata Koirala, Nepal's former deputy prime minister and foreign minister.

"They echo the joys, hopes and aspirations of generations, reminding us that art and culture have the unique power to promote development, transcend boundaries and unite us in shared human experiences," she stressed at the opening ceremony.

Wang Xin, a counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, attended the opening ceremony. On the occasion, the production of a woodblock New Year painting was showcased. 

A visitor tries to make a woodblock Chinese New Year painting at an exhibition in Kathmandu, Nepal, Jan. 24, 2025. An exhibition of 60 woodblock Chinese New Year paintings was inaugurated here on Friday, offering a glimpse into the celebration of the Spring Festival in China. (Photo by Hari Maharjan/Xinhua)

A visitor looks at Chinese New Year paintings at an exhibition in Kathmandu, Nepal, Jan. 24, 2025. An exhibition of 60 woodblock Chinese New Year paintings was inaugurated here on Friday, offering a glimpse into the celebration of the Spring Festival in China. (Photo by Hari Maharjan/Xinhua)

Sujata Koirala (4th R), Nepal's former deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Wang Xin (3rd R), a counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, and other guests attend the opening ceremony of a woodblock Chinese New Year paintings exhibition in Kathmandu, Nepal, Jan. 24, 2025. An exhibition of 60 woodblock Chinese New Year paintings was inaugurated here on Friday, offering a glimpse into the celebration of the Spring Festival in China. (Photo by Hari Maharjan/Xinhua)