Digital wizardry brings cultural heritage to life

陈小将

Children view digitalized shadow puppets at the Science and Technology Museum in Luoyang, Henan province, on June 29. The interactive exhibits showcased the origins, evolution and inheritance of shadow puppets. [Photo provided to China Daily]
A three-dimensional ancient wine vessel suddenly appears above a screen, floats in the air, and moves in various directions under the instructions of controller Su Gaofeng.

Members of the crowd gathered in front of a computer screen at the eighth China Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo in Jinan, Shandong province, in mid-October, let out exclamations of delight and awe.

However, the amazing spectacle wasn't achieved with the help of wearable devices such as virtual reality glasses.

Thanks to 3D technology, viewers only need to adjust their distance from the screen for built-in cameras to capture their eye movements. The system uses algorithms to make the zun, an ancient wine vessel, come alive, said Su, a faculty member at Beijing Union University's College of Art.

The visual display is intended to help expo visitors gain a better appreciation of the artwork and its intricate cloisonne craftsmanship, which was named a national intangible cultural heritage in 2006.

"In the virtual world, we've set up the entire process of cloisonne production, from blueprints, mold making, wire inlays, enamel painting, firing, and polishing to gilding," said Su, who specializes in 3D-animation design, 3D-digital sculpture, and VR development.