Anyue grottoes in Sichuan Province are entering a new era of preservation through advanced digital technology. A 7.13-hectare digital exhibition center allows visitors to experience the Anyue grottoes’ 100,000 carvings from the Tang and Song dynasties up close. By integrating gesture sensing, AI algorithms, and holographic projection, the ancient Buddhist rock carvings now blend history with innovation.
Previously, most visitors had to travel deep into the countryside to see the collection. Today, the exhibition center provides a more accessible and immersive experience. A 3D-8K dome theater and a four-panel immersive cinema offer vivid audiovisual presentations of the Anyue grottoes. Since opening in May 2025, the center has attracted over 150,000 visitors. Daily attendance exceeded 3,000 during the summer holiday period.
The Anyue region benefits from ideal geology for stone carvings. Rolling hills, abundant sandstone, and cliffs have made the area home to nearly 500 grotto-temple sites. Ten sites are listed as national key cultural relics protection sites. The county hosts more than 100,000 cliff carvings and almost 400,000 characters in cliff sutras, making the collection a pinnacle of southern Chinese grotto art.
Experts warn that the collection face serious risks from water damage, weathering, and erosion. Southern China’s humid climate, combined with invasive roots and wind abrasion, has long threatened the Anyue grottoes. Many sites are located in remote rural areas, complicating daily inspection and management of the Anyue grottoes.
To address these challenges, Anyue authorities issued protective regulations in 2018. They have conducted more than 20 cross-departmental inspections and repaired damaged facilities. The county collaborates with universities including Peking University, Zhejiang University, and Sichuan University on research and conservation of the Anyue grottoes.
Xie Yang, head of the Anyue Grottoes Research Institute, emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary efforts. Her team includes 17 researchers with master’s degrees and four university graduates in cultural relics. In total, the county employs about 3,500 guardians to monitor every site within the Anyue grottoes.
Anyue has also invested in security upgrades and a dedicated conservation fund. Plans include high-precision 3D scanning, permanent digital archives, and virtual restoration of the collection. By the end of 2025, a mini-program will allow the public to explore it online.
Through these innovative measures, the collection not only survive but thrive, combining cultural heritage with modern technology to ensure their preservation for generations.
