An exhibition of nearly 200 Chinese cultural artefacts opens today in the Ajuda National Palace in Lisbon, the first stop on a tour of Portugal, Xinhua reports.

The Chinese government-run news agency says the exhibits include Longquan celadon pottery, Longquan swords and Qingtian stone carvings from the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang.

The report says the technique for firing Longquan celadon is on the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

It quotes Ni Dongfang Art Museum Director Liu Jianwu as saying the exhibits will show ordinary Portuguese the unique charm of Chinese culture.

The artefacts will be on show in Lisbon for three days before the exhibition moves on to the next stop on its tour, which marks 40 years since Portugal and the People’s Republic of China established diplomatic relations, Xinhua says.