A very royal spring festival ancient custom used to take place right here in the capital. A special ice-skating show would entertain emperors of the Qing Dynasty for centuries, and today an ancient painting in the Palace Museum remains, vividly re-enacting the grand show.

This precious painting is six meters long and holds around 2,000 characters.

The differently colored uniforms represent different divisions of the imperial army, known as the eight banners. Some of them even show off some special moves.

As the formations shift and move, viewers find themselves easily captivated by the experience that takes them back to the Qing Dynasty. The formation was performed by men, but there’s also a feminine touch. The imperial concubine appeared as the climax of the event. Prized as a jewel by the emperor, her elegant routine becomes the icing on the cake for the show.

There’s no better time to remind people of their cultural heritage than at the Spring Festival, and this ancient painting will do just that.

And the traditional new year custom is still going strong. Every year during Spring Festival, a very special temple fair is held in Yuan Ming Yuan park, re-enacting the ice-skating show that once entertained Chinese emperors. Now everyone has the opportunity to experience it firsthand at the annual event.