The centuries-old gongbi style of classic Chinese painting, which is characterized by meticulous brushwork, gives a vivid illustration of the philosophical take, gewu zhizhi — to investigate things thoroughly to obtain knowledge from them.

After showing in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, and Beijing, selected works of the 12th National Exhibition of Chinese Gongbi Art have arrived in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, showing at the Guangdong Academy of Painting until Nov 9, amid a national tour that will take the exhibition to 13 cities.

The exhibition shows the work of artists in exploring traditional themes of gongbi paintings — such as animals, plants and figures — in a modern context.