The Forbidden City, home to 24 Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) emperors, houses a large amount of cultural relics, among which painting masterpieces play a big part. After the last Qing emperor Puyi was ousted from the palace complex in 1924, the Forbidden City was renamed the Palace Museum.

The Nymph of the Luo River

The Nymph of the Luo River (luo shen fu) was painted by Gu Kaizhi, an established painter during the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420). The piece at the Palace Museum was a Song Dynasty (960-1279) copy.

The painting was derived from the essay “Ode to The Nymph of the Luo River” written by Cao Zhi, son of the Wei (220-265) Emperor Cao Cao. The painting depicts the meeting between Cao Zhi and the Nymph of the Luo River at Luo River, vividly capturing the mood of their first meeting and eventual separation. The painter emphasized his subjects' expressions, with ornamental stones, mountains and trees.