Suzhou-style decorative painting: Jiangnan elegance brought north to Beijing

Suzhou-style decorative painting at Prince Kung's Palace bears the mark of Jiangnan artisans who brought southern elegance north to Beijing. Rare for their large scale and good preservation in the capital, these Suzhou-style paintings are celebrated for their rich variety and refined craftsmanship. Each of the three genres of Suzhou-style decorative painting – the gold-outlined curved-cartouche Suzhou-style decorative painting in Baoguang Chamber, the ink-outlined curved-cartouche style in Ledao Hall, and the square-cartouche Suzhou-style decorative painting in Jiale Hall – reveals the expressive flexibility of this lively tradition.

There is also a hidden secret at Jiale Hall: beneath its solemn Xuanzi decorative painting lies an earlier layer of vivid bird-and-flower paintings, reflecting the lively tastes of its former owner, Prince Yonglin (1766-1820). Only later, when Yixin, Prince Kung (1833-98), repurposed the hall for ritual use, was it repainted with a more dignified design.