Murals of the Ming Dynasty enter the digital age

Several visitors stand in quiet admiration before the exquisite murals in the dimly lit hall.

The bodhisattva is depicted vividly with a round, full face, deep in contemplation, with slender fingers and toes. The figure is draped in a robe of light and delicate silk, with intricate patterns shaped like snowflakes.

Golden light dances and shimmers across the murals, glowing brilliantly amid the interplay of light and shadow.

These details are achieved through masterful techniques. The ancient artisans first outlined the designs, then applied a paste to create raised lines, and finally attached gold leaves. The murals were painted using natural mineral pigments such as raw lacquer and pearl powder, which have allowed the colors to endure.

Renowned for its exquisite Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) murals, the Guanyin Temple is located in Xinjin district, Chengdu, in Southwest China's Sichuan province. An inscription on an unearthed cultural artifact confirms that the ruler of the Shu princely fiefdom (today's Sichuan) invited imperial artisans to supervise the creation of these murals.

Originally built in 1181, the temple was historically recorded to have 108 halls and pavilions. After suffering repeated damage over the centuries, only a few structures from the Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties have been preserved today.

For the ongoing fourth national census of cultural relics, a comprehensive digital archive has been created for the Guanyin Temple, documenting its architecture, statues, murals, and stone carvings with advanced scanning and imaging technology.