A man admires some ancient artifacts on display at the Shen Embroidery Museum in Nantong. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

An exhibition of needlework and traditional Chinese handicrafts from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties is currently underway at the Shen Embroidery Museum in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province.

On display are more than 420 artifacts, including needlework tools used at China's first embroidery school, painting and calligraphy works by local celebrities such as Zhang Jian, a famous modern industrialist, and Wang Geyi, a famous Chinese painter, and stationery such as ink stones.

"Traditional culture is reflected everywhere in daily life," said Bu Yuan, curator of the museum. "Even a small ornament, regardless of its size, shape, texture, color, or pattern, reveals people's outlook on life in those days."