For the holiday crowds in Taiwan during Spring Festival, the Palace Museum in Taipei is showing a priceless treasure. It's breathtaking painting depicting Beijing more than two centuries ago.

"Prosperity Between Heaven and Earth" is more than 13 meters in length. It was created in the mid 18th century, during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. Commissioned by the imperial court, the scroll depicts the prosperity of China's capital city, Beijing. Among the hundreds of characters are government officials, street vendors, shoppers, and craftspeople - citizens from all walks of life.

The scroll includes most of Beijing's landmark buildings in that era.

Lin Lina, researcher of Taipei Palace Museum, said, "The painting was created in the year 1761. It is an overall plan of the Beijing city. Today's Beijing still roughly follows this pattern. Although some landmark structures cannot be found today."

The painting was created by Xu Yang, a renowned artist who learned his techniques from European Jesuit missionaries. Therefore it is distinguished for its use of the laws of perspective.