Introduction
Since 2011 the National Palace museum initiated 'Painting Anime', which are six series of high-resolution long scroll painting animation. Through the latest technology, four high-resolution 1080 HD projectors seamlessly unfold long scroll paintings on the light wall to present the classical scenery in Chinese paintings. 'Painting Anime' reproduced six popular paintings, including Up the River During Qingming (Qing court artists), Spring Morning in the Han Palace (Qiu Ying), Imitating Zhao Bosu's Latter Ode on Red Cliff (Wen Zhengming), Syzygy of the Sun, Moon, and the Five Planets (Xu Yang), Departure Herald (anonymous), Return Clearing (anonymous) and Activities of the Twelve Months (Qing court artists). Inspired by historical material related to the artworks, the six pieces of animations faithfully present the true spirit of the original paintings and their most attractive parts.
About 'Syzygy of the Sun, Moon, and the Five Planets': On the first day of the first month in the Emperor Qian Lung's 26th Year (1761/02/05), the Directorate of the Imperial Observatory observed the astronomical phenomenon of the Sun and Moon both rising together and the Five Planets lined up, an event known as a syzygy. Officials therefore predicted it would be a year of peace throughout the land and of a bountiful harvest. Xu Yang was then commissioned to make a painting recording this rare and auspicious omen. Also a description of New Year's Day, civil and military officials are seen entering the court to congratulate the emperor and people throughout the capital have gone out to greet the New Year. This handsroll depicts the observatory and various courtyard residences in detail as well as archways and gates of the city. There are festive scenes of people in various forms of clothing and transportation, and all sorts of shops and their arches, fully reflecting the appearance of life in Beijing at the time.