Preserving the Essence of Chinese Culture: Bringing History to Life with Sound and Color

重庆中国三峡博物馆，又名重庆博物馆，是首批国家一级博物馆、中央地方共建国家级博物馆。位于重庆市渝中区，与重庆人民大礼堂正对。其前身为1951年3月成立的西南博物院，1955年6月更名为重庆市博物馆，2000年9月经国务院办公厅批准成立，并加挂“重庆博物馆”馆名，其新馆于2005年6月18日正式对外开放。重庆中国三峡博物馆占地面积3万平方米，展厅面积20858平方米。陈列展览由4个基本陈列、6个专题陈列、1个360度全周电影、1个半景画陈列、1个参观者实践中心和3个临时展览构成。

Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum, also known as Chongqing Museum, is among the first national first-class museums and a state-level museum jointly established by central and local governments. Located in Yuzhong District, Chongqing, it faces the Chongqing People’s Great Hall. Its predecessor, the Southwest Museum, was founded in March 1951 and renamed Chongqing Museum in June 1955. In September 2000, with the approval of the General Office of the State Council, it was officially established and additionally named "Chongqing Museum." The new museum opened to the public on June 18, 2005. Covering an area of 30,000 square meters, the museum boasts an exhibition space of 20,858 square meters. Its displays include four permanent exhibitions, six thematic exhibitions, one 360-degree panoramic cinema, one half-scale diorama, one visitor practice center, and three temporary exhibitions.

Among the 113,500 pieces (sets) of collections housed at the museum, approximately one-sixth were donated by the public. Among the hundreds of donors, Li Chuli and Liu Jun, veteran revolutionaries, stand out as exemplary contributors.

In April 1983, Li Chuli and Liu Jun donated 534 pieces (sets) of cultural relics to Chongqing Museum without compensation. Their donation was extensive, diverse, and of exceptional quality. Expert ***uations identified 306 pieces (sets) as precious cultural relics, including 27 first-class, 114 second-class, and 165 third-class relics.

In 1990, the couple donated dozens of additional items, including purple clay ware, bronze ware, porcelain, and stone carvings, to Chongqing Museum. After Mr. Li’s passing, Ms. Liu Jun also donated books and furniture used by him. Their donations totaled 307 pieces (sets) of precious cultural relics, including 28 first-class and 115 second-class relics. To commemorate their selfless contributions, the Three Gorges Museum dedicated an exhibition hall to display their donated relics in batches for visitors to appreciate.

In January 2019, Chongqing Qingwen Technology Co., Ltd. partnered with the Three Gorges Museum to upgrade the acoustic environment of the original "Li Chuli Donated Cultural Relics Exhibition." The project was completed before the Chinese New Year and opened to the public.

In the newly opened exhibition hall, a study room replica was designed at the entrance’s left side. Qingwen Technology ingeniously incorporated directional sound technology by installing the "Doctor of Directional Listening" device on the ceiling of the study room. The sound was directed toward the opposite wall, projecting downward at an angle onto a scroll painting. Using unique audio processing techniques, visitors passing by the study room experienced the illusion of "sound emanating from the painting." Combined with traditional Chinese furniture and décor, accompanied by the gentle sounds of classical instruments, visitors could better appreciate Li Chuli and Liu Jun’s deep affection and passion for traditional Chinese art.

As visitors left the study room, the music gradually faded, blending seamlessly into the ambient sound until it became inaudible. Next, they encountered the diverse array of cultural relics donated by the couple. At the center of the exhibition hall, a large touchscreen was mounted on the wall. Using the "Doctor of Directional Listening" technology, Qingwen Technology projected the screen’s audio downward, ensuring that only visitors standing directly in front of the screen could hear the content clearly. Those outside the designated area experienced no audio interference or echoes from the playback.

Thus, a harmonious scene emerged: some visitors enjoyed the audiovisual content on the screen, while others quietly admired the exquisite relics in display cases. Each group remained immersed in their experience without disturbing the other.

Through the "Doctor of Directional Listening," Qingwen Technology revitalized these ancient and silent cultural relics and artworks, highlighting their brilliance and vitality with modern high-tech devices. The exhibition now narrates long-sealed historical stories to every visitor...

The introduction of Qingwen Technology’s "Doctor of Directional Listening" series at the Three Gorges Museum is part of the museum’s intelligent upgrade initiatives. In the future, Qingwen Technology will further leverage directional sound technology to provide intelligent, targeted audio guide services for cultural relics. Visitors will be able to freely listen to detailed explanations without booking guides or searching online. Simply by standing near an exhibit, the history they wish to learn will come to life...

Only when cultural relics "speak" and history remains "unsilenced" can modern people effectively preserve and pass on the essence of traditional Chinese culture.