Experts and scholars gathered in Taiyuan, Shanxi, to discuss the modernization of cultural heritage through digital empowerment at the inaugural “Cultural Heritage and Modernity” summit recently held at Shanxi University. Professor Hang Kan, a doctoral advisor and director of the Yungang Research Institute at Peking University, emphasized the significance of digitization in preserving cultural heritage, stating, “Digitalization provides a method for safeguarding cultural heritage today, and it plays a crucial role, particularly in the digital conservation of these assets.”
During his keynote speech titled “Digitalization: Reproduction and Interpretation,” Hang noted that the Yungang Grottoes have been scanned to an accuracy of 0.03 millimeters, which is now being utilized in 3D printing—demonstrating the power of digital reproduction. He also referenced the phenomenal success of “Black Myth: Wukong,” highlighting its effective blend of reality and fantasy to creatively reinterpret cultural heritage.
Liu Gaifang, the deputy dean of the College of History and Culture at Shanxi University, pointed out that research could be expanded to include the behavior of heritage tourists, the governance of digital cultural tourism enterprises, the digital transformation of heritage value, and macro decision-making in digital cultural tourism. She stressed the importance of multifaceted participation, including the adoption and maintenance of cultural relics and conducting on-the-ground research teams.
Zhang Jijiao, a second-level researcher at the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, articulated that the development of inheriting Chinese cultural heritage and tourism is a vital part of Chinese-style modernization. He introduced a new theory on this transformation—cultural empowerment—as a key element of the neoclassical “structure-function theory.”
Additionally, Jiang Renhe, deputy director and senior advisor at the East Asian Art Research Center at the University of Chicago, shared insights into the university’s efforts in researching Chinese cultural heritage, presenting findings through photographs and online resources. Yi Xiaoli, a professor and doctoral advisor at Jinan University’s Shenzhen Tourism College, addressed the authenticity of cultural heritage development and utilization, while Huang Zhuowei, an associate professor and doctoral advisor at Sun Yat-sen University’s Tourism College, discussed the sustainable use of digital technology in cultural heritage.
This event, co-hosted by Shanxi University’s College of History and Culture, the College of Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, and the Shanxi Provincial Tourism Big Data Joint Laboratory, brought together leading scholars and heads of research institutions in the field of heritage studies to explore cutting-edge theories and innovative practices, contributing to the advancement of cultural heritage research in China.
