Covers of some volumes from A Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings.

A Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Painting (hereinafter referred to the Comprehensive Collection), a project by Zhejiang University and the Zhejiang Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, is by far the world's most comprehensive collection of pictures of ancient Chinese paintings. It covers a total of 12,405 pieces/sets of Chinese paintings on paper, silk (including brocade and damask), linen, and other materials from 263 museums and other cultural institutions at home and abroad.

As a significant national cultural project, the Comprehensive Collection was meticulously conceived to preserve the continuity of Chinese culture and promote the national spirit. It harnesses cutting-edge technology to amass a vast treasury of paintings, creating an invaluable "encyclopedia" for the study of the history of Chinese arts and culture and opening a new window for the world to understand China.

Over the past 20 years, Zhejiang University has leveraged the project as a pivotal initiative to promote Chinese culture globally. This effort is dedicated to fostering cultural exchange, mutual learning and people-to-people ties, helping present a credible, appealing, and respectable image of China to the world. It has significantly enhanced the international community's understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture.

Mobilizing global collaboration to explore China's cultural legacy

Chinese painting, as an integral part of China's fine traditional culture, constitutes an invaluable cultural and ethical treasure for both the Chinese nation and all humanity. The Comprehensive Collection, which was launched in 2005 and spanned two decades, has yielded a publication of 226 books in 60 volumes. The collection encompasses the vast majority of extant Chinese painting masterpieces, vividly bringing to life the distinct artistic styles of various eras — from the magnificence of the Pre-Qin period (before 221 BCE), the grandeur of the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty (618–907), and the elegance of the Song Dynasty (960–1279), to the achievements of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties (1271–1911). It stands as the most comprehensive and large-scale publication of its kind in the field of Chinese painting.