A white porcelain bottle with a poem in relief, produced in the 19th century, is among items from the Seoul Museum of History on display.

An elaborate exhibition featuring the social and cultural development of Seoul is being staged in China’s capital by the Beijing Capital Museum and Seoul Museum of History.

'Seoul, a city of stream: The changing fortunes of Cheonggyecheon', presents the Ukiyoe of Seoul, capital of South Korea, through the history and fate of Cheonggyecheon, a stream that flows across the heart of the city and witnesses the country's past and present. More than 100 exhibits from Seoul are on display, with most of them being seen by Chinese visitors for the first time.

"We have chosen Cheonggyecheon as the main theme and plan to tell stories of Seoul and people's lives there," said Hong-Bin Kang, curator of the Seoul Museum of History,in an interview with China Daily. "We are very interested in portraying how the lives of people have changed over time and how the city has undergone transformation...We will show both bright and dark side of the history."

The presentation consists of three parts according to the stream’s timeline: prehistory of the waters, deterioration of the stream and its recovery, telling the history of the city from the late 14th century to the present, along with the social and cultural features.

Dynamic multimedia presentations are also featured with documentaries, animations, light and sound effects, giving visitors a strong sense of being in the heart of the action.

"We can see ourselves, the reflection of Beijing's history and development through the exhibition," said Guo Xiaoling, curator of the Capital Museum China. "We face the same problems during the process of urbanization, such as environment problems, population pressure, transportation dilemmas and we can learn from each other."

Cheonggyecheon was one of the key streams that flowed through Seoul when it was first established 600 years ago. However, it was once covered by an overpass and highways driven by the need of fast economic development in the 20th century, before the constructions were demolished and the stream repaired in the 21 century.

The event is a reply to the 2003 exhibition "Inclusive Beijing: a city's growth" held in Seoul in 2003 by Capital Museum China. The museums of China and South Korea have kept close ties for for years.