The Chinese art of calligraphy has received another boost. Beijing's Palace Museum - also known as the Forbidden City - has published a 40-volume reproduction of ancient works by 135 artists. 

Fourteen centuries of art reproduced by Palace Museum

The 340 calligraphy examples range from the 3rd-century A.D. to the 17th-century. The museum hopes this collection will inspire future generations of calligraphers. Its efforts mirror a great commission by Emperor Qianlong who, in 1747, had artisans carve reproductions of the imperial calligraphy collection on to more than 500 stone monuments, which he kept at the palace.