Zhejiang University: The Series of Ancient Chinese Paintings on display at NMC
On September 29, the National Museum of China (NMC) in Beijing unveiled an exhibition titled “Compilation of Classics in the Flourishing Age—The Series of Ancient Chinese Paintings”.
The Series of Ancient Chinese Paintings is compiled and co-published by Zhejiang University and the Cultural Heritage Bureau of Zhejiang Province. It contains a collection of 12,405 ancient Chinese paintings from 263 cultural institutions and museums around the globe. Among them, 9,155 pieces or sets are from domestic collections and 3,250 from overseas collection, covering most of the preserved “national treasures”. The Series contains five complete collections spanning different dynasties, comprising 226 books in 60 volumes. It is by far the most comprehensive archive of ancient Chinese paintings with the most authentic images and the most refined printing quality.
The exhibition at the NMC features more than 1,700 publication copies of ancient Chinese paintings (from 770 BC to 1911). It also presents the loose pages of The Series in an intensive way. Meanwhile, 10 pieces or sets of niche statues in Chinese cave temples, reproduced with 3D high-fidelity measurement and reconstruction technology, are also showcased in the exhibition. Via the merging of art and science, the exhibition creates an immersive space that spans history and incorporates masterpieces. Thanks to the cutting-edge spatial audio intelligent processing technology and the multi-sensory real-time device, it enables the audience to “walk” into the painting in an immersive way so that they can transform a static painting into an interactive world.
Zhejiang University boasts superb inter-disciplinary resources. By utilizing such state-of-the-art technologies as 5G, cloud computing, motion capture and additive manufacturing, it has made significant contributions to the digital preservation, reproduction and virtual experience of ancient art relics and cultural heritage, thereby promoting the creative and innovative development of Chinese traditional culture.