A total of 239 original illustrations for Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales were put on display Wednesday in Shanghai Science Exhibition Hall.

These illustrations were drawn by 16 world-renowned illustrators. Besides illustrations, the exhibition includes many exhibits that show the life of the Denmark's most famous author.

As part of events to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Hans Christian Andersen, the exhibition will visit six other cities, including Wuhan, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Beijing, Shenyang and Jinan, during the course of the year.

Born on April 2, 1805, Andersen wrote as many as 350 stories in his life, including The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor's New Clothes and The Little Mermaid.

(Xinhua News Agency December 15, 2004)