Jialing River, an oil painting featuring a branch in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Song's 70-year-old collection of Beijing scenery is at the center of A Broad-minded Man Between Clouds and Waters, an exhibition to mark the 110th anniversary of Song's birth currently running at the art museum of the Central Academy of Fine Arts. The exhibition will run through Dec 27.

Cultural landmarks frozen in time are displayed in Song's Beijing landscape series, picturing the serene atmosphere of the city's historical spots over the course of a year, such as Tiantan or the Temple of Heaven, Shichahai and the Ancient Observatory. He documented the peaceful life of people in the city and included parades on Chang'an Avenue to celebrate the founding of the People's Republic of China, visiting the Palace Museum, swimming in lakes and clearing snow off the streets.