The sights and sounds, perhaps even the smells, of the streets are captured in this scroll, reproduced in large format on the wall of the museum. Emperor Kangxi (1654-1722) would barely recognise Beijing today, one of the world’s largest megacities, with over 21 million residents.

To celebrate the 60th birthday of China’s longest-reigning emperor, a grand procession moved through the bustling countryside and traced the streets of what is now the capital. Objects from the museum’s collection – a hairpin, a cuff, a pair of cymbals – have been carefully placed onto the reproduction, adding colour and vibrancy to this already lively and engaging image of a city on parade day.