A scene from the ongoing "Meet Yungang: A Public Digital Art Exhibition" in Hong Kong. (Photo courtesy of the Yungang Research Institute)

A digital art exhibition in Hong Kong featuring 3D-printed Buddha statues has received widespread praise from visitors.

The "Meet Yungang: A Public Digital Art Exhibition," organized by the Yungang Research Institute in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, highlights four life-sized replicas created using advanced printing technology, according to institute representative Zhou Yuchao.

The Yungang Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back more than 1,500 years, recently received Shanxi's first data intellectual property registration certificate, reflecting its ongoing digital preservation efforts.

A scene of the ongoing "Meet Yungang: A Public Digital Art Exhibition" in Hong Kong. (Photo courtesy of the Yungang Research Institute)

Li Lihong, a digital protection specialist at the institute, said extensive data support is essential for safeguarding the immovable relics.

Li, a graduate of Taiyuan University of Technology, said technological advances are reshaping approaches to cultural preservation.

"In the early days, three-dimensional cave models lacked texture information, requiring manual alignment of data models with actual photographs," Li said.

Sophisticated data collection equipment and advanced modeling software have significantly streamlined the preservation process, Li said.

Photo shows a view of the Yungang Grottoes in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province. (People's Daily Online/Lu Pengyu)

"We simply input the collected information into the model, and it automatically generates colorized models with higher precision and speed," she said.

Li noted that while mapping a single cave used to take three to six months, the process now requires only two to three months.

The acceleration follows the completion of a computing center of the digital protection center of Yungang Research Institute, China's first advanced computing center for cultural preservation in 2019.

"Data collection, storage and application all require support from the computing center," Li said.

The center has completed data collection for 80 percent of the Yungang Grottoes, most of it within the past five years. Precision has improved from 1 centimeter to 1 millimeter, and now to 0.03 millimeters, creating 8K-resolution digital archives.

Digital technology not only enables permanent preservation of cultural artifacts but also makes them accessible to wider audiences.

A resident in Hong Kong tries an augmented reality device to experience the Yungang Grottoes. (Photo courtesy of the Yungang Research Institute)

Zhou, who has focused on Yungang Grottoes exhibitions in recent years, said high-precision 3D-printed displays allow visitors to experience texture and detail, overcoming the traditional barriers that prevent direct interaction with physical relics.

The Yungang Grottoes use a modular assembly method to create life-size 3D replicas. These can be taken apart and moved easily, helping the grottoes share their art with people around the world.

Digital technology goes beyond making physical copies. By using new digital tools like virtual reality and mixed reality, the Yungang Grottoes are making it easier for people to experience relics online.

Replicas of the Yungang Grottoes are now appearing in an increasing number of locations. The world's first large-scale 3D-printed replica of Cave No. 3 is on display at City Media Plaza in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province.

A visitor observes a replica of a Buddha statue from the Yungang Grottoes. (People's Daily Online/Ma Mengdi)

Similar replicas can be found at the Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, as well as in museums in Shenzhen and art galleries in Shanghai. These digital initiatives are helping to bring ancient Buddhist art to contemporary audiences both in China and globally.