Gold cup with the pattern of a parrot from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) on display at the exhibition. [Photo/China.com]

An exhibition featuring animal-shaped cultural relics unearthed from the Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century-11th century) to the year 1949 is under way in Beijing.

Apart from presenting the exquisite relics made by highly skilled ancient craftsmen, the exhibition also aims to show the long-lasting affection between humans and animals.

The exhibition will last until March 29, 2017.