Qing royal tombs to go digital

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Now we are going to look at the heritage of the Qing Dynasty -- the last empire in China's long history. Among the enduring legacies left by the Qing emperors are the eastern Royal Tombs in Hebei Province, which took 247 years to complete.
Now, the ancient site is going digital. Through a joint project by Historic Scotland and the China Cultural Relics Bureau, everyone from researchers to the mildly curious can soon enjoy a digital record of this world-renowned cultural heritage.
The Scotish team will focus on the Xiao Tomb of Shunzhi and Jing Tomb of Kangxi. Shunzhi was the first emperor since the Manchu Army conquered the all of China. His son, Kangxi, spent more time on the Chinese throne than anyone else with a 61-year reign. The tombs will undergo a comprehensive scanning in order to build a detailed digital model. Thus enough data will be available for remote access and educational projects.
Alex Salmond, Scotland First Minister, said, "This is a big challenge, a representation of Chinese culture."
Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty is the largest royal tomb cluster discovered thus far. 580 detached architectures stand in an area of 48 square kilometers. It takes a visitor at least two days to cover the whole sight. However, with the help of digital modeling, one can stay indoors to appreciate it on-line.

Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty is the largest royal tomb cluster discovered thus far.

Zhao Yingjian, deputy director of Tourism Management Committee, said, "It helps us know more about the history and the value of architecture and sculptures. It is significant for cultural communication."
The project will use the same kind of laser technology that has been applied to other world cultural heritages like the Queen Well in India and Mount Rushmore in the U.S.