An exhibition featuring live goldfish and goldfish-themed cultural relics opened in the Forbidden City in Beijing on Tuesday.

Nearly 200 goldfish of 42 species, many of which are rare, met visitors. The water dwellers came from Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Wuhan and other Chinese cities.

Thirty-four goldfish-themed cultural relics from the Palace Museum's collection are also on display.

According to the Palace Museum, the comprehensive display of live goldfish with cultural relics is intended to enable the audience to appreciate the charm of the Forbidden City and experience traditional culture.

"Jinyu," the Chinese term for "goldfish," is a homonym of the term "gold and jade" in Chinese, which makes goldfish a favorite theme in Chinese art to convey people's aspiration for a better life.

According to People's Daily, the Forbidden City has a long history with goldfish, with a total of 279 species of goldfish kept inside at its peak. 

Historical records show that Wanli Emperor (1572-1620) of the Ming Dynasty was a fan of goldfish. Every Mid-Autumn Festival, each palace would hold goldfish-themed activities.

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), emperors and dignitaries enjoyed watching goldfish, and the imperial palace employed professional fish farmers.

The live goldfish section of the exhibition will run until August 11, while the cultural relics part will last until August 30. Visitors with tickets to the Palace Museum can enjoy the exhibition free of charge.

(With input from Xinhua News Agency)