More than 100 paintings, prints, watercolors, lacquer paintings, photos and mixed media works have been displayed at the exhibition.

Wang Yongping, vice-president of the Hubei Provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles and curator of New Scenery of the Yangtze River, says that the works show varied natural landscapes, dynamic cultures and folklore along the waterway — "from the snowcapped mountains and array of ships across the Three Gorges to the rains and mists that engulf the beautiful Jiangnan (the region south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze), its openness and inclusiveness" — as well as the economic and social developments since 2012.

He says the works are "people-oriented, showing real lives and addressing people's concerns", such as the efforts made for rural vitalization, poverty elimination and the balance between livelihood improvement and environmental conservation.

The Yangtze has a high level of biodiversity. Its climate and terrain provide important habitats for many species, such as giant pandas that are popular on social media.