An exquisite carved wooden box from Qianlong Period of Qing Dynasty is showcased at the exhibition. [Photo/Artron.net]

An exhibit titled "Son of Heaven in the Heyday: Exhibition of the Qianlong Emperor in Qing Dynasty" opened at the West Lake Gallery of Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on Aug 10 and will last for three months.

Among the exhibits, 168 pieces are from the Palace Museum in Beijing, and the rest from Zhejiang museum. Ranging from the Qianlong Emperor's (1711-99) imperial robes and daily use articles, to his paintings and calligraphy, the items on display narrate the colorful life of the emperor. Emperor Qianlong was the longest reigning emperor in China's history, who reigned from 1736 to 1796.

"Although numerous exhibitions on Emperor Qianlong have been held across the world, this display is the most comprehensive so far," Ma Shengnan, an expert from the exhibition preparatory team at the Palace Museum said. "We hope visitors can experience the whole life of Emperor Qianlong from their perspective."

It is said that Emperor Qianlong preferred West Lake in Hangzhou a lot, and each time he went to Hangzhou, he would live near the West Lake. Two paintings from the exhibition portray the scene of the imperial palace for his short stays at West Lake.

Though Emperor Qianlong visited South China six times, the major part of his life was not spent there. So whenever he missed the West Lake, he would draw it on canvas and write poems dedicated to the lake. "Qianlong loved West Lake so much that whenever he wanted to paint something the landscapes of the West Lake would soon be on the canvas", Ma said.

The exhibition hall of the display "Son of Heaven in the Heyday: Exhibition of the Qianlong Emperor in Qing Dynasty". [Photo/Artron.net]