And Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty would probably have been a scholar or artist if he was not bestowed the throne. Hand-copying the long paragraphs of Da Bao Zhen ("admonitions for the rulers"), he also wanted to remind himself of proper behavior, as demanded by ancient scholars.

As pine, plum and bamboo were widely honored by ancient Chinese literati for their unswervingly strong spirit in winter, Emperor Qianlong also once wrote in a poem: "How I hope to befriend them amid frost and snow; our innate virtues strike a chord just as voices echo."

As Wang points out, the exhibited artworks show the ancient Chinese literati's lasting pursuit for self-cultivation, which means to "rectify the mind, form the character, and regularly reflect on one's conduct".