Beijing exhibition explores imagery of women in ancient Chinese paintings

An exhibition exploring how women were depicted in ancient Chinese paintings is on display at Yuyuantan Park in Beijing through March 2026.

"SHE: Female Images in Ancient Chinese Paintings" features 125 female-themed paintings from different historical periods of ancient China. The works are on display at the Yuhe Jiying exhibition hall inside the park. With a focus on traditional Chinese female figures, the curator aims to show how portrayals of women have evolved over time and to decode the cultural meaning behind those shifts.

Figure painting is among the oldest genres in Chinese painting, dating back to the Zhou dynasty (1046-256 B.C.) when murals of historical figures were used to provide moral lessons. Over centuries, subjects expanded from history and mythology to religions, court life and everyday scenes. Paintings of court ladies gradually developed as an important part of the genre. 

The exhibition offers an aesthetic journey spanning more than a thousand years. In the paintings, the changing clothes, makeup, facial expressions and postures of female figures reflect their social status, physical and spiritual conditions, and the social and cultural backgrounds of their times.

The exhibition presents a tapestry of women's lives throughout ancient Chinese history for visitors to ponder. Female figures appear in a wide range of scenarios: They provide political wisdom and protect their families; they play, work and enjoy life. They include imperial concubines, court musicians and poor weavers. They write poems to express themselves and inspire artistic creations with their beauty, talent, virtues and ill-fated lives. 

"SHE: Female Images in Ancient Chinese Paintings," an exhibition at Yuyuantan Park in Beijing, showcases traditional female figures as portrayed in ancient Chinese paintings from the Wei and Jin dynasties through the Qing dynasty, revealing changes in artistic style and cultural context. The exhibition runs from November through March 2026. [Photo by Liu Sitong/China.org.cn]