Every year China National Academy of Painting in Beijing holds an exhibition to review the creation of its member artists in the past year.

Integrity and Innovation, now on at the academy's gallery until Monday, shows more than 170 classical Chinese paintings, oil paintings, calligraphic works, sculptures, prints and seal engravings made in 2020.

Lu Yushun, the academy's president, said works on show were drawn from several journeys the artists took last year to the desolate and poverty-stricken areas, cities and towns along the Yellow River and along the routes of Long March; they reflect the changes in these regions overtime, the efforts to alleviate poverty, the preservation of local cultures and the conservation of ecological environments.

Zhang Jiangzhou the academy's deputy director, said when comparing the works shown in previous years, the current exhibition provides more vivid depictions of the life and emotions of people at the grassroots to bring a deeper touch on viewers' heart and soul.