An ongoing exhibition at the National Museum of China in Beijing themed on the Yangtze River makes visitors feel like they're embarking on a journey through time and space.

Scheduled to run until March 23, the exhibition celebrates the history of China's artery, the Yangtze River. Natural beauty, centuries of cultural diversity and tales of environmental protection, it gathers over 300 objects—primarily from the museum's collection.

The showcase is a summary of the ageless cultures arising from the Yangtze River basin to lionize the Chinese civilization. Today, the Yangtze River Economic Belt, covering 11 provinces and municipalities, contributes 45 percent of China's total GDP and boasts a population that accounts for nearly 40 percent of the national total.

(Text and photos by Wei Yao)

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon

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