It was difficult to understand the potential history in the old map.

According to the Three Gorges Museum in Yuzhong District, there is a precious map of the late Qing Dynasty, named as Expanded and Revised Map of Chongqing City, in the second-floor exhibition hall Chongqing · City Road.

The map was painted by Liu Ziru from Qijiang, Chongqing in 1898 to 1900. Because it was painted during the port opening period of Chongqing City, in addition to the streets, buildings and wharfs in the city, it shows the agencies like “Chongqing Custom” and “Post Office” and marks the British, French and American consulates in both Chinese and English. And it has the rich historical information due to the performance of over-hundred-year urban layout and regional functions centered on the Yuzhong Peninsula. In the past, if the audiences would like to know the Chongqing history and culture via the old map, they were only looking at the map while listening to the audio guide or the commentator’s introduction. It was difficult to understand the potential history in the map.

MR technology shows the history of old Chongqing.

At present, you can go to Three Gorges Museum and know the history of old Chongqing via the map with the HoloLens. In order to really experience the HoloLens, the reporter has been taken to a room with a 3-meter-long drawing on a table by Xie Shuo, an educator from the Public Education Department of the Three Gorges Museum. This drawing is an enlarged version of Expanded and Revised Map of Chongqing City on which you can clearly see the streets and gates of the Yuzhong Peninsula.

"It's not enough only with this drawing." Xie Shuo said and brought a device similar to 3D glasses. The reporter has found that the device is a head-mounted device and it is more complicated than 3D glasses. There are not only multiple cameras, but also multiple black lenses.

The device, called Microsoft HoloLens, is a MR mixed reality device. Previously, museum staff had placed maps and related content into the device, so images could be seen by wearing glasses. With her guidance, reporter took on glasses for the experience. When taking it on, the reporter heard a clear, three-dimensional voice immediately. Next, the virtual dynamic image like the content of map appeared in the front of the reporter. In the image, Xiaoyu, a vitural man from the Qing Dynasty, begins to explain the history of Chongqing's ancient gates in detail, such as the Chaotian Gate, Hongya Gate and Tongyuan Gate. The location of Xiao Yu and the scene will change based on the location of each gate. The scenes of gates and streets shows in our eyes as if we are in the real world.

The person from the Three Gorges Museum said that the equipment is in the trial operation which visitors can participate. We plan to use this mixed reality device on more cultural relics. (Translated by Jiang Yuling, Fathom Language Limited)