Modern tech brings ancient treasures to life

China is promoting the use of the latest technologies such as artificial intelligence, VR, immersion display and smart guidance at the country's many cultural heritage institutions, allowing heritage resources to reach more people.

The number of museums in China has increased from 349 in 1978 to more than 5,000 today, according to statistics released by the National Cultural Heritage Administration in May. Around 1 billion trips are made to the museums each year, and their popularity has been on the rise among domestic tourists.

With the help of 3D printing technology, 10 reproduced Buddha statues are on display in a museum in Taiyuan. The 3D-printed statues are among those that were originally stored in the famous Tianlong Mountain Grottoes but were stolen and lost overseas in the 1920s.

In 2014, the Tianlong Mountain Grottoes Museum established a partnership with the University of Chicago and Taiyuan University of Technology to jointly launch a digital restoration project for the Tianlong Mountain Grottoes.

The project has collected three-dimensional data of more than 100 statues from nine countries, including the United States, Britain and Japan, and has completed the digital restoration of 11 major caves.

"With the help of advanced technologies, we are able to better preserve our valuable cultural heritage. Meanwhile, the immersion display can raise public interest in and awareness of heritage protection," said Cui Xiaodong, deputy curator of the museum.

The museum has launched a digital restoration tour of grotto arts from many countries. Next year, it will continue the tour, allowing more people to appreciate the integration of technology and heritage, Cui said.

Xinhua