A robot that wears human clothing, traditional handicrafts, Russian royal court garments 鈥� these are some of the many items now on display during the ongoing 2015 Hangzhou Cultural and Creative Industry Expo, a massive event highlighting cultural products and creative design from China and abroad.

The expo is being held at White Horse Lake International Exhibition Center through Monday, with more than 2,000 cultural and creative companies participating.

It is one of China鈥檚 four cultural and creative expos. The others are held in Beijing, Shenzhen of Guangdong Province and Yiwu in Zhejiang Province.

The Hangzhou event is themed 鈥淚ntegration 鈥� Design Makes a Better Life鈥� this year. The main venue at White Horse Lake in Binjiang District will feature six main spaces 鈥� cultural creative life, global design, brands, exhibition featuring living styles in the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, traditional culture, and chic trends.

In addition to the main venue, Hangzhou Creative Design Center, Binjiang Haichuang Base, Gushan Pavilion of Zhejiang Museum, and Peace International Conference and Exhibition Center also host events during the expo.

The total exhibition areas cover 60,000 square meters and the latest designs in the creative industry are be showcased.

The expo has been held during the past eight years. Over that time it has evolved into a platform to develop the city鈥檚 creative industry and promote economic transformation. It is also considered a platform for local universities to showcase inventions and creative designs.

The highlights of this year鈥檚 event include Van Gogh Alive, a multi-sensory exhibition dedicated to the life and work of the Dutch artist. The exhibition is held at Hangzhou Creative Design Center through January 3.

More than 3,000 high-definition images of Van Gogh鈥檚 paintings are projected on walls, columns, ceilings and even floors. Visitors are able to 鈥渨alk through鈥� images of famous works such as 鈥淭he Starry Night鈥� and 鈥淪unflowers.鈥�

In addition to projections of Van Gogh鈥檚 famous paintings like 鈥淪till Life: Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers,鈥� 鈥淭he Starry Night鈥� and 鈥淭he Caf茅 Terrace at Night,鈥� the exhibition includes symphonies composed around the same time.

Artists will also give lectures during the exhibit while a parent-child zone gives young ones a chance to create and imagine. Visitors can also check out a virtual cafe inspired by Van Gogh鈥檚 painting 鈥淭he Caf茅 Terrace at Night.鈥�

The exhibition is being held at the Hangzhou Creative Design Center, which was once the Hangzhou Xiling Refrigerator Factory. The factory has been revamped into a park that gathers creative companies.

This year鈥檚 festival also marks the first time the Palace Museum and Zhejiang Museum have participated in the event.

The Palace Museum displays more than 400 derivative cultural products inspired by items in its collection. In recent years, the museum has produced a series of knickknacks, stationery items and other products featuring imperial Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) styles, which have become popular with hipsters.

In the meantime, this year is the 150th anniversary of Huang Binhong鈥檚 birth. To commemorate the ink-wash painting master, Zhejiang Museum has showcased products inspired by Huang鈥檚 works during the expo.

To understand the creativity of Hangzhou and traditional Chinese culture, visitors to the expo should visit a special exhibition area dedicated to intangible cultural heritage from all over the world.

Moreover, teachers and students from the China Academy of Art are displaying 500 gift items based on the West Lake, Hangzhou鈥檚 most famous tourist attraction. These include pop-up books about the lake鈥檚 top scenic areas, lotus-leaf-shaped necklaces and ink-wash-style glass paintings that change color when heated.

This area is just one part of the academy鈥檚 鈥淭he Best Design鈥� exhibition, a multi-media showcase which occupies the entire third floor of the expo.

Products from 200 Taiwanese enterprises are on display in a 10,000-square-meter hall, as part of a show titled 鈥淎rt, Tea, Gift and Bamboo.鈥�

An array of smart technology products can also be seen in the popular D鈥橦ome Zone. These include a variety of robots and 鈥渂ig-data鈥� products for use around the home.

Also look out for the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes show. Zhejiang University has used virtual imaging technology to display the famous Buddhist murals from Gansu Province.

The Russian Pavilion is displaying antique furniture and oil paintings, while the Spanish Pavilion would exhibit its red wine culture.

There鈥檚 even an online element to this year鈥檚 event. Visitors can scan QR codes on displayed products and pay through a third-party. There are more than 2,000 products available to buy online.

List of highlights

B0

鈥� College student smart designs

Products and designs from university students, including robots and digital systems that train doctors via virtual surgeries.

鈥� College student designs

Exhibition and sale of creative pottery, clothing, and daily use items designed by college students.

鈥� Cross-strait creative and culture exhibition

200 Taiwanese enterprises showcasing products under the theme of 鈥淎rt, Tea, Gift and Bamboo.鈥�

鈥� Aesthetics of handicrafts

A selection of creative daily-use items from Taiwanese museums and craft associations, mostly chairs and tableware.

B1

鈥� Taiwan products

Modern creative and cultural goods from Taiwan, including clothing and jewelry; bamboo-made daily-use items by Taiwanese designers.

B2

鈥� Intangible culture heritage of the Silk Road

Exhibition on the culture of cities along the ancient Silk Road

鈥� Culture heritage of handicraft

Collection of Zhejiang handicrafts, including paper artworks, celadon wares, lace, embroidery, pottery and bronze sculpture. Zhejiang operas will also be shown.

鈥� The Best Design

Exhibition of works from students and teachers with the China Academy of Art

鈥� Creative Design Summit

Summit centering on theme 鈥淚nternet+Creation鈥�

B3

鈥� Future home

Smart technologies for home use

B4

鈥� D鈥橦OME

Design home exhibition showcasing works from 10 master designers

A1

鈥� City, country and museum pavilions

Creative products and designs from Hangzhou and Nanjing cities; artworks from the Palace Museum in Beijing and the Zhejiang Museum; Dunhuang culture exhibition; French artist Benoit Granier鈥檚 installation exhibition, design works from Singapore; oil paintings and court dress show from Russia; wine from Barcelona; designs from famous brands.

鈥� Woodblock prints exhibition

Prints by Chinese, Japanese, European and American artists.