A painting exhibition with monkeys as its theme is being held in Beijing to welcome in the Year of the Monkey.

Li Yan, son of master painter Li Kuchan, displays his talent for drawing monkeys at the exhibition.

In 1992, also the year of the monkey, one of Li's monkey pictures was chosen to print on stamps for the postcards with the animal of the year, which was the first such issuance under the name of the State Post Office.

It opened on December 28th at Hongbaotang of West Liulichang in Beijing's Xuanwu District, a cultural hotspot for artists and other tourists.

(CRI January 3, 2004)