The Palace Museum has announced its annual display schedule that includes newly opened exhibitions, the China Daily newspaper reported on Tuesday.
The museum is planning to hold as many as 18 major exhibitions throughout the year, where about 80 percent of the exhibits will be displayed for public viewing for the first time in modern history, Shan Jixiang, director of the Palace Museum, said in a news conference the previous week.
"Almost every piece is a national treasure," said Shan. "I am sure there will be long lines waiting to see them."
The highlight of the exhibits will be Zhang Zeduan's 12th-century scroll "Along the River During the Qingming Festival," which will return to public display after a three-year hiatus to mark the museum's 90 years of operation within the Forbidden City.
"Along the River," which reflects the landscapes of the city of Bianjing, which is the modern-day city of Kaifeng in central China's Henan Province, features more than 800 people and 30 ancient construction projects, making it a pivotal reference material for studies on the Song Dynasty (960-1279) along with its aesthetic value.
The scroll will be part of the exhibition titled Shiqu Baoji, which is named after an 18th-century catalog of royal paintings and calligraphy pieces. It will be displayed beginning Sept. 5 and will run for two months alongside other rarely seen artworks.
Other exhibits that the museum is planning to present this year include paintings and calligraphy works created by five emperors during the Qing Dynasty, a display of royal rituals in the new 2,800-square-meter display hall at the Yanchi Lou building, royal porcelain articles unearthed from China's ancient kilns, old and new relic restoration techniques, and old photographs taken at the Forbidden City in the late 19th century.