The moment one enters The Poetic Realm of Refined Living exhibition in Beijing, they are not only pulled into the air-conditioned chill, but also into a state of tranquility and peace, surrounded by objects of workmanship that once enriched the lives of ancient intellectuals.

Nearly 120 artifacts from the collection of Beijing Art Museum, including Chinese paintings, calligraphic scrolls, ceramics and folded paper fans, are on show at Guardian Art Center until Sept 10. All together they bring people into the material and spiritual lives of the well-off class in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. The objects were used to decorate their living spaces and meanwhile, for self-cultivation through which their owners sought to reach a state of perfection.

Highlight exhibits on show include scroll paintings by Tang Yin, one of the Four Masters of Ming Dynasty, and Wang Hui, one of the "four great painters surnamed Wang of early Qing Dynasty".