Online programs to bring Terracotta Warriors closer to visitors

XI'AN - Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum has collaborated with China's internet giant Tencent to develop online programs for use on smartphones to enrich tourists' visiting experience, local authorities said Tuesday.

Travelers can book tickets, view online maps and purchase souvenirs via a mini-program on WeChat, China's popular social media platform, where they could also have a closer look at the Terracotta Warriors in the museum with the help of VR and AR technology, according to Cheng Wu, a vice president with Tencent.

Meanwhile, short videos and online games have also been launched to spread knowledge of the cultural relics and enrich travelers' online tour experience.

In recent years, the museum has teamed up with a list of technology companies to develop a series of interactive products, such as "Tencent Smart Guide for Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum" and "Hi, Terracotta Warriors," which are popular among tourists and museum-goers, according to Hou Ningbin, curator of the museum.

More than 6.38 million people have found their closest resemblance to the Terracotta Warriors via the facial recognition technology applied in the mini-program "Hi, Terracotta Warriors." Through the mini-program "Tencent Smart Guide for Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum," over 1.5 million tourists have had a close look at the Terracotta Warriors via a three-dimensional map.

Located in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, the Mausoleum of Qinshihuang is the world's largest underground mausoleum. The terracotta army was discovered in 1974 by peasants who were digging a well. The terracotta army was listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO in December 1987.