Ancient treasures spark new pursuit of beauty

The fresco is also on show at Ancient China. Zhu says they sought advice from veteran scholars such as Peng Feng, dean of the School of Arts, Peking University, and rewrote the scripts for each artifact in the mini-program, different from the texts in the showrooms.

For the mural, the program's script draws connections between dance and calligraphy, noting that the famed Tang calligrapher Zhang Xu was said to have developed his bold kuangcao (wild cursive) style after being inspired by watching dancers perform.

Some of the narrations are voiced by celebrities — actress and model Zhong Chuxi for the Tang dancer mural, and actor Zhang Linghe for Li Jingxun's necklace.

The project is a collaboration between the National Museum and L'Oreal China. The partnership began last year when L'Oreal sponsored the Notre-Dame de Paris: The Augmented Exhibition at the museum.

It was sponsored by the cosmetic brand, working with the public institution in charge of the conservation and the restoration of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. It, meanwhile, opened up cooperation with the group and the National Museum.

Lan Zhenzhen, president of public affairs for L'Oreal North Asia and China, says no effort is spared when pursuing beauty, and the program invites more people to explore the essence of beauty and the Eastern philosophies behind it.

Curator Zhu says the artifacts featured in the mini-program will be updated in line with changes in the museum's exhibitions. She emphasizes that the selection is not meant to represent all of Chinese aesthetics, but to serve as starting points for visitors to explore how ancient Chinese understood and created beauty — and how that legacy can be preserved today.