In Anhui Province’s quiet town of Anqing, history breathes again — thanks to innovation.
At the renovated residence of Huangmei opera master Yan Fengying (1930–1968), we installed a system that resurrects her iconic performances without actors onstage. Using high-resolution holographic projectors and directional speakers, audiences gather in the courtyard as Yan appears mid-air, singing “You Yuan Jing Meng” (“Garden Dream”) with crystalline clarity.
Her image moves gracefully across stone steps, gestures toward blooming plum trees, even interacts with props placed strategically in front of her. Ambient sounds — rustling leaves, distant temple bells — enhance realism. No glasses needed.
“This isn’t gimmickry — it’s reverence,” says curator Ms. Zhou Lin. “Young people who never heard her voice now cry watching her sing.”
Daily attendance exceeds 2,000 visitors, many traveling specifically for this experience. Schools book group tours; researchers study the tech’s potential for preserving intangible cultural heritage.
UNESCO representatives visited last month, calling it “a model for digitizing endangered arts.”
Future phases may include AI-generated duets between Yan and contemporary singers — blending past and future in harmony.
