The exhibition starts from Jieziyuan Huapu, or The Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting, a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) standard manual on Chinese ink painting. Three copies of it are in the exhibition, among which two were published in 1701 and one is from the early 20th century, as a gift from Chinese writer Lu Xun (1881-1936) to his wife Xu Guangping.

The manual has examples of tree, flower, insect, rock, figures and architectural patterns besides Chinese painting techniques and classic artworks by famous painters.

"Since its publication, this textbook has garnered immense popularity and acclaim as a cherished resource in folk fine arts. Numerous Chinese painters expressed how profoundly they had been influenced by its content. Consequently, it stands as a crucial testament to the evolution of fine arts education in China," says Li, also curator of the exhibition.