News
Xi’an Museum brings cultural relics to life with digital technologies
By Zhang Danhua, People’s Daily
The Xi’an Museum in northwest China’s Shaanxi province has its unique charm among Chinese museums.
It comprises a museum designed with the philosophy of “round sky and square earth,” a concept of traditional Chinese architecture, as well as the elegant Jianfu Temple and the Small Wild Goose Pagoda in the temple.
Over recent years, the Xi’an Museum has actively applied digital technologies in the protection and utilization of cultural relics, and worked to make innovation in exhibitions and bring more benefits to the public. It has presented the history of the Chinese civilization to more people.
“The application of digital technologies is a profound revolution for the preservation of cultural relics,” Fu Haixiang, who’s in charge of Xi’an Museum’s department of collection preservation, told People’s Daily.
In his computer, a virtual colored 3D model of the Stone Coffin of Shijun, a sogdian living in the Northern Zhou Dynasty (557-581), is vividly shown. The 3D version has no difference from the real one.
The Stone Coffin of Shijun is a very important cultural relic collected by the Xi’an Museum. The inscription and relief on it are precious.
The virtual colored 3D model of the stone coffin was generated by high-precision laser scanning and synthesized with hundreds of millions of pixel-level high-resolution texture images.
“This digital application enables researchers to acquire information about the stone coffin anytime they want, while avoiding damages to the cultural relics that could possibly be caused by physical contact,” said Fu.
As a site for the protection of ancient books at the national level, the Xi’an Museum collects over 100,000 ancient books. How to make these ancient books “usable” was once a challenge.
The application of digital technologies offered a solution. So far, the information of over 100,000 ancient books collected by the museum has been recorded in the virtual space, including their authors, graphic designs and copyrights.
Besides, the Xi’an Museum has launched active cooperation on ancient book preservation with the National Library of China, the China National Archives of Publications and Culture, and other important organizations for the protection of ancient books
In May this year, the Xi’an Museum hosted an original exhibition presenting Xi’an’s heyday in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), when it was known as Chang’an. It is the starting point of the ancient Silk Road
The exhibition has attracted a number of visitors since its inception on May 22, showing them the exchanges and mutual learning between the Eastern and Western cultures along the ancient Silk Road.
One of the most important changes that have taken place to the Xi’an Museum over recent years is the innovation in exhibitions, said Zhu Gemin, deputy head of the museum’s display and exhibition department.
Multiple outstanding original exhibitions held by the Xi’an Museum employed landscaping, modeling and images to display the treasures of Xi’an. The exhibitions were brought to multiple places across China, including Beijing, Tianjin, Suzhou, Shanghai and Xinjiang.
Today, hitting exhibitions at the Xi’an Museum is trendy among young people. This year, the number of daily visits to the museum stands at nearly 10,000.
In the hall of the museum, there is a service robot that offers help to visitors. Visitors can get a detailed introduction to the museum or cultural relics by simply talking with it or clicking the icons on a screen of it.
It can also serve as a tour guide for visitors. This has significantly improved the efficiency of the museum in serving the public.
On the second floor of the museum, children are always seen playing games designed on the ancient Silk Road knowledge guided by education specialists. The places and cultural relics mentioned in the games often interest the children.
“The Xi’an Museum today not only collects, studies and demonstrates cultural relics, but also offers education for citizens,” said Tian Jiwei, who heads the education and promotion department of the museum, referring to a “Lezhi Classroom” program launched by the museum over the recent years.
The program aims at finding ways for children, persons with visual and hearing impairments, as well as seniors to get closer to history.
Rather than regular museum guides, “education specialists” designated by the Xi’an Museum could share cultural knowledge and offer social education services by hosting public education activities, speech contests, livestream shows and in-person symposiums.
The diverse public welfare activities have enriched the cultural life of citizens with vivid stories behind cultural relics, Tian said.
Indications emerged that the personal Assistant to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF Senator George Akume, Hon. Andrew Torhile Uchi, is currently in the facility of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC over allegations bordering on corruption, bribery and money laundering amounting to a whooping N10 billion.
A highly placed source at the Commission yesterday, confirmed to our correspondent that the embattled Uchi was invited by the operatives of the Commission on Monday, upon a petition received by the anti-graft agency over Alleged properties he acquired in Abuja, Jos, Makurdi, Gboko and Wannune in Tarka, local government Area of Benue State amounting to over N6 billion.
According to the source, further investigations so far, has revealed that between December 2023 to date the anti-graft agency has been able to trace a whooping N1.6 billion that was allegedly used in buying purch cars through four new generations banks to nine car dealers in Abuja, Kaduna, Lagos, Jos and Makurdi respectively.
The source further added that two Bureau de change operatives are currently been investigated by the Commission, over their alleged involvement in the scam, owing that most of the funds credited to embattled Torhile Andrew Uchi, emanated from their coys.
He said that the Commission is currently working towards getting a court nod to widen the scope of their investigations to the properties in Abuja, Jos and other part of the country to ascertain the source of the income and how the properties were allegedly purchased.
As of the time of filing in this report Mr. Uchi, is still in custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, telling the dreaded operatives of the Commission how he allegedly got the funds which is largely believed to be proceeds from bribes.
Efforts to reach the spokesman of the Commission, Mr Dele Oyewale, proved abortive as his phone lines was said to be switched off.
The Nigerian Senate has formally responded to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s complaint to the United Nations Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), refuting allegations that her suspension was linked to claims of sexual harassment.
According to Vanguard, Senator Natasha had petitioned the global body, seeking intervention over what she described as an injustice against her.
However, in a letter signed by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate insisted that her six-month suspension was due to “gross misconduct and unruly behavior”, not allegations of sexual harassment or assault.
The letter, read by Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, Chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, stated:
“The authority of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria firmly refutes the deliberate misinformation and false narrative being circulated by certain media organisations regarding the six-month suspension of Senator Natasha-Akpoti-Uduaghan.”
It further emphasized that “Senator Uduaghan was suspended solely for her persistent act of misconduct and disregard for the Senate Standing Orders.”
Additionally, the Senate called for a thorough investigation into the allegations she raised against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, maintaining that all due procedures were followed before her suspension.
Senator Natasha, however, vowed to continue her fight against “injustice”. Meanwhile, Senate President Akpabio has denied the accusations, asserting that he has never assaulted any woman.
The dispute between the two lawmakers intensified on February 20, 2025, after Natasha’s seat was changed during plenary. Their tensions date back to July 2024, when Akpabio rebuked her for alleged misconduct, telling her the Senate was “not a nightclub where anybody can talk anyhow.” He later apologized for the remark.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has reinstated the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Samson Osagie, exactly 37 days after his suspension.
A letter addressed to Osagie by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umar Ikhilor, Esq., and marked SGA. 15/NOL.XV111/215, conveyed the governor’s directive. The letter, dated March 12, 2025, and released at 8:15 p.m., stated that an investigative panel had exonerated Osagie of alleged financial infractions.
The letter read: “Having considered the report of the Investigative Panel set up by Government to investigate allegations of financial infractions reported against you, which has exonerated you from the said allegations, I write to convey the directive of the Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, that you resume duties as the State Hon. Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice with effect from 12th March, 2025.”
Reacting to his reinstatement, Osagie expressed appreciation for the governor’s leadership, describing the decision as a testament to Okpebholo’s sincerity and vision for Edo State.
“I appreciate his sincerity of purpose and vision for the state. This is a clear indication that His Excellency, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, means well for the state. I use this medium to reiterate my commitment and loyalty to him and his administration,” Osagie said.
He further pledged to support the governor in advancing Edo State, emphasizing his dedication to ensuring progress and recovery in the state’s governance.
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