Really getting the whole rub

"Ink rubbing is an important invention of ancient Chinese people, and its popularity played a crucial role in the development of epigraphy," Jia explains.

"Whole-shape rubbing is the most advanced version of the technique and used to be the only method that allowed people to see the complete shell and details of the object."

After the emergence of modern technologies, most notably photography, ink rubbing has become less popular. But it's still applied in archaeological work, especially in the recording and research of bronzeware, oracle bones and stone carvings.

This exhibition includes more than 50 pieces of Jia's whole-shape rubbings and calligraphy works, which are based on a diverse range of relics, from bronze utensils and mirrors to ancient tiles and bricks.

Most of them bear auspicious subjects, such as a "pig delivering good luck" to celebrate the upcoming Year of the Pig and Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) tiles with lucky patterns.

Many of the works are recently created, including rubbings of six pieces of bronzeware selected from the Summer Palace's collection.

According to Li Guoding, head of the Summer Palace Administration Office, the organization has a rich collection of ancient bronze relics, most of which were acquired by members of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) royal family. Of the aforementioned six bronze pieces, two are national first-grade and four are second-grade cultural relics. All are representative of the entire collection.