TAIYUAN, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- "To the glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome." Statues and artifacts representing the mythical beauty in Edgar Allan Poe's famous words will officially start their China tour on New Year's Day, which falls on Wednesday.

Jointly organized by the Shanxi Museum and the National Museums Liverpool (NML), the first stop of the exhibition will be launched on Wednesday in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, with 134 exhibits on display.

Running until May 5 in Shanxi, the exhibition will feature full body statues, bust, marble relief sculptures and art works, representing well-known mythical figures such as Zeus, Athena and Apollo. Visitors can also explore sarcophagus panels and Greek pottery, providing an immersive opportunity to get a glimpse of the ancient Greek and Roman world.

"NML is honored to present this exhibition to the people of China. The exhibition features over one hundred classical Roman sculptures and associated objects," said Sandra Penketh, NML executive director of collections and research.

Penketh said that the sculptures representing the gods of Greek and Roman legends were all inspired by classical art not only for its historical value but also for its aesthetic qualities.

The exhibition with the theme of "Classical and Glory" Ancient Greek and Roman Sculpture Arts is expected to continue the China tour to southwest China's Sichuan Province and east China's metropolis of Shanghai.

Liu Qiuyi was among over 300 people who visited the exhibition's preview in Taiyuan. She was thrilled by the beauty of the human body as depicted by the sculptures and statues on display.

Among the exhibits, the statue of Apollo from the Roman period was placed under a spotlight. The young Apollo leaned against a tree trunk and stared intently at the lizard he was about to kill.

An Jing, a museum guide, said the statue was created with the style of Praxiteles, a famous Greek sculptor from the 4th century BC, which is an example of a Roman sculpture inspired by ancient Greek works.

World civilizations are vibrant and diverse. Both introducing foreign cultures to domestic audience and sharing the Chinese civilization with the world help promote exchanges and interaction among global civilizations, said Zhang Huiguo, deputy curator of the Shanxi Museum. ■