The scroll begins with a scene outside the gates to the women's quarters of the imperial palace. Follow the path and enter the inner gardens.

Inside the women's quarter walls, a woman holds a small girl dressed in a red wedding robe. This scene shows the betrothal of two young children. The boy, held by another woman in a carriage, reaches over the wall and offers a pair of jade rings to his future bride.

Amid a flurry of activity, the empress sits on her throne surrounded by female members of the court and entertainers. The columns, fans, and carpets decorating her pavilion bear dragon motifs, a symbol closely tied to imperial authority.

Many of the palace women are shown bringing gifts symbolizing long life and happiness.

In a pushcart, under a canopy decorated with flowers, a young boy wraps his arm around his female companion, and offers her an artemesia leaf, a protective symbol of health and well-being.

The painting is filled with lush flowers and blossoming trees. Here, court women are shown gathering flowers in the garden. The abundant foliage and related activities are associated with Festival of the Hundred Flowers, a spring ceremony traditionally observed by women.

Beyond the wall, a walkway borders the lake. Two women on the veranda throw rocks at a pair of mandarin ducks, who scoot away in agitation.

Inside a pavilion, three women play a game of chess. Playing chess in the garden, along with swinging under willow trees and chasing butterflies were traditional springtime activities for court women.

On an island in the lake, a woman plays the qin while others enjoy the music. The qin, or zither, is one of the oldest types of Chinese instruments. Learning to play this instrument was very important for the literati, or scholar class, in traditional Chinese culture.

Many common motifs of Chinese art appear in the painting. Both cranes and pine trees are frequently used as symbols of longevity in Chinese art. When combined, they form a more auspicious symbol, called song ling he shou, or "live as long as pine and a crane." Here, depicted in the springtime, they represent the hope for a long marriage.

The Three Stars refer to the three immortals of happiness, prosperity, and longevity. The man holding a child is the God of Happiness, or Jupiter.

This figure, standing next to the God of Happiness and wearing a crown, is the God of Prosperity (known as Wenchang), who is the sixth star in the Ursa Major constellation. He is wearing an official’s robe and crown, and the deer by his side refers to his high rank and promotion.

This figure is the God of Longevity, a symbol of the South Star. He holds a staff and offers the peach of immortality.

The children in the scene represent immortal boys. One of them holds a peony branch, a traditional symbol of prosperity.

Much of the imagery is not only beautiful but also symbolic and refers to the figures in the work. The peach-filled trees and peonies reference those held by the God of Longevity and the immortal boy.

The red-crowned cranes are symbols of longevity.

This prose, composed by Emperor Qianlong, is woven into the tapestry. It expresses the emperor’s desire to build a harmonic society of happiness, wealth, and continuity, represented by the three stars.