Preserved on paper

An ongoing exhibition shines light on whole-shape rubbings, a technique which creates a three-dimensional effect to show an item's shape and details on it. Liu Xiangrui reports.

More than 60 rubbings of ancient bronze ware and other relics by Jia Wenzhong, an expert on bronze ware identification and relic repairs, are on display at Prince Kung's Mansion in Beijing.

Unlike regular rubbings that only represent the surface of relics from one side, the rubbings by Jia are whole-shape rubbings, a technique that was developed nearly 200 years ago, which creates a three-dimensional effect to show an item's shape and details on its surface.