Technology brings priceless relics to the public

Wearing smart glasses, visitors are presented with virtual murals from the tomb of Xu Xianxiu, a high-profile official of the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557) at a museum in Taiyuan, capital city of Shanxi.

The tomb is considered to have some of the best-preserved murals from the time period, but due to preservation limitations, it is impossible for visitors to view the murals on-site.

The Yungang Grottoes, located in the northern Shanxi city of Datong, were built during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534). With the help of 3D-printing technology, people across the world now have the chance to admire a full-sized replica of Yungang's relics.