Sculpting is a child's instinct to depict the world he sees and his imagination, through which process his creativity and mind are further cultivated.

This is the idea behind the Third Youth Sculpture Exhibition now on at the China Sculpture Museum in Datong, Shanxi province. The show, which runs through Aug 30, brings together nearly 500 works by creators aged 18 and under from across the country.

The exhibition encourages its young participants to experiment with a variety of media, from the traditional clay to modern 3-D printing technology. More importantly it allows them to take more time to observe and think.

The historic city of Datong, home to ancient Buddhist figures and temples, embraces a long history of artistic sculpture. As well as the youth sculpture exhibition, it also hosts the Datong Sculpture Biennial and the Exhibition of Zeng Zhushao Sculpture Scholarship Winners.