A rarely seen perspective on the Imperial City will be unveiled in a forthcoming exhibition of images of old Peking from Western eyes at the time. As part of the 4th China Beijing International Cultural and Creative Industry Expo, Imperial City Impression: Old Peking Images in Western Prints will open at Beijing World Art Museum Thursday, revealing valuable insights into the old city during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

A print from the exhibition showing people busy pulling sleds on Peking city moat.

Accounting for up to 90 percent of the overall exhibits, more than 100 prints capturing various scenes of old Peking reveal the daily lives of residents, imperial activities, celebrations and official meetings of the period.

"There have been numerous exhibitions on old Peking in the past," Shi Jingsheng, general director of the exhibition told the Global Times, "But what distinguishes Imperial City Impression is that most of the images are Western prints, which used to be one of the most popular methods of recording events."

Based on different themes, the exhibition is divided into four main sections, Imperial Life, Folk Customs, City Scenes and Old Maps.

The Imperial Life section boasts a multitude of prints, revealing what imperial activities of the late Qing Dynasty were like from a Western perspective. Various royal events, including the marriage of the emperor, rituals of sacrifice, meetings with foreign missions and entertainment activities of the royal family, were captured and will be on display.

One piece, depicting Emperor Guangxu, the ninth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, sledding on Taiye Lake in the Forbidden City in 1895, is among the most rare in the exhibition, according to Shi.

A print from the exhibition.

"Compared to his miserable life under the constant control of Empress Cixi, the print reveals an unusual moment when the short-lived emperor enjoyed his life," Shi explained.