For years, exhibitions about Confucius have focused on profound culture and grand rituals that exposed the audience to the philosopher's teachings enshrined as sacred texts.

But behind the towering legacy of China's prominent family, how did the Confucius decedents, also known as the Kong family, actually live?

At the Prince Kung's Palace Museum tucked away in the hutong alleys in downtown Beijing, visitors now can get a glimpse into the humanside of the family at the ongoing thematic exhibition Ritual Integrity and Poetic Refinement, a collaboration between the museum and the Confucius Museum based in Qufu East China's Shandong province.

From exquisite tin tableware in the shapes of auspicious animals and plants to drinking-game sticks (lots) bearing playful commands like "Drink if you're fat!" or "Impatient? Finish your cup!", the exhibition, opened on May 20 and running till Aug 10, endeavors to shed light on the mundane life in the official residence of the Kong family.