Painting of old Beijing displayed

"The Riverside Scene At Qingming Festival", which has been displayed in the China Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo, has allowed visitors to peek into the past during the North Song Dynasty about 1100 years ago.

Now, another old painting, of sorts, is being shown at the China National Convention Center, giving viewers a panoramic view of Old Beijing. The high-tech work brings vividly to mind the Beijing of the 1920s and 30s.

Listen closely and you can hear the loud hawking of the candied gourd and soy milk sellers amidst the bustle of the crowd... a typical scene during the Beijing Dongyue Temple Fair.

On the other side of the painting, many people are riding horses and carriages across the East Bridge in the area now known as the Central Business District.

There are tiny swallows, a ubiquitous sight in spring time, the water melons sold during the summer. A variety of insect sounds emanate from the gardens in autumn. And in winter, lumps of coal for heating, together with the scene of children playing... All these old memories come to life once more through the power of technology.

"I haven't seen such a great scene of old Beijing before. This painting is showing us the old times in a very straight-forward manner."

This moving painting is 3 meters by an astounding 228 meters long. Some of the typical architecture of the period is also clearly seen in the painting, such as Hutongs and Beijing Quadrangle House.

The show concludes at the China National Convention Center on Monday.