Pioneers in imaging technology, Digital Projection, are bringing a thousand years of history to life at the Famen Temple in Baoji City, Shaanxi Province.
China’s largest holy Buddhist sanctuary is embracing the latest in laser projection technology to turn visitors into time travellers.
24 Digital Projection HIGHlite Laser II projectors were selected to deliver the stunning visuals in China’s oldest pagoda.
The multimedia experience takes place across a series of performance areas in the iconic pagoda’s 7,300-square-metre North Hall.
The areas are entitled Prelude, The Wish, The Audacity, The Battle against Demons and Meditations and represent China’s largest single fixed installation project using laser projection.
“The temple’s monks believe that by telling the people the true spirit of Tao, infinity will be reached,” says Mark Wadsworth, Digital Projection International Marketing Manager.
“The recollections of the Famen Temple are designed to transport visitors back thousands of years to see the events through their own eyes, rather as though they are time travellers. The effect they wanted was to be like opening temporal and spatial gates, with people and things from the past thousands of years passing by the audience.”
Digital Projection HIGHlite Laser IIs are used throughout the installation and deliver a variety of experiences including 360° panoramas and huge displays, one of which spans 182 square metres.
In the section depicting The Battle against Demons, three projectors create a 126 square-metre vision on gauze. Here, the story of General Zhu Ziqiao is retold, as he helps the survivors of the disaster at Fufeng. Viewers are immersed in the touching story of Adjutant Ding who spent his life singing opera to protect the Buddha dharma and guard the Buddhist treasure.
“By the end of the immersive experience that carries the audience along, totally involved in the stories, the audience feels as though they have undergone a baptism of the spirit, having been immersed in the dharma and the stories in the past,” adds Wadsworth.
“The power, brightness and visual clarity delivered by the HIGHlite Laser II projectors was essential to the overall effect created. It is both an incredible visual experience and a beautiful visual display.”
