Paintings tell story of central Beijing

A group of Beijing-based painters have begun to depict the landscapes of the capital's central area, which can be traced to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) when the old city of Beijing was constructed. 

Historical buildings and streets pepper both sides of the central axis, which runs for 7.8 kilometers from south to north. And as the city expands, new landmarks have appeared on the extension of the central axis, such as the National Stadium or Bird's Nest, the main stadium of the Beijing Summer Olympics in 2008. 

These subjects are vividly documented by painters to show the central axis' long history and new look. The paintings -- more than 100 in total -- are now on show at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing through Oct 25.