Beijing -- Participants attending a workshop here on Tuesday hailed the strong public response to the Road to Revival, a patriotic exhibition that illustrates the history of China since 1840 when the British army invaded the country to protect its opium traders.

The exhibition was inaugurated at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution in central Beijing in October. It runs through February 9.

So far, more than 2 million people have viewed the exhibition, leaving 30,000 written messages.

Chinese leaders have attached great importance to the exhibition, the largest of its kind, ever since its preparative stage, said Ouyang Jian, deputy director of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

The workshop, which was held at the exhibition venue, was attended by researchers, scholars and the children of revolutionary martyrs.

In his key-note speech, Ouyang said the exhibition displayed the Chinese people's difficult efforts over the past 160-plus years to realize the rejuvenation of the nation.

He pointed to the glorious experience of the Communist Party of China (CPC) who led Chinese of different ethnic groups to strive for the independence of the nation and the emancipation of the people, as well as the prosperity of the nation and the happiness of its citizens.

The exhibition was co-sponsored by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Culture, the General Political Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the Municipal Government of Beijing.

In October, China Central Television (CCTV) broadcasted the documentary Road to Revival generating heated discussion among viewers.

(Xinhua News Agency December 19, 2007)