Tencent recreates Beijing’s Central Axis with immersive digital experience

Tencent has unveiled a virtual urban historical landscape called Microcosm, an immersive experience that brings Beijing’s Central Axis to life online.  

The project launch coincides with the addition of the Central Axis to the World Heritage List by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). 

Microcosm, which can be accessed via the Digital Central Axis Weixin Mini Programme (云上中轴), offers users an immersive guided tour of the landmark that they can enjoy at their own pace.  

Guided by avatars, anyone with a smartphone can explore the 3D virtual replica of the heritage site in the Chinese capital in detail. Users can explore the Digital Central Axis throughout its history, even areas and scenes that may have been damaged or are no longer visible in real life, according to the release.  

The Axis is well known inside China but may be less familiar in other parts of the world. It stretches approximately 7.8 kilometers from north to south in the capital city, reflecting Chinese imperial design and urban planning that began in the 13th century.  

The site includes 15 heritage landmarks such as the Forbidden City, the Bell and Drum Towers, Jingshan Hill, and the Temple of Heaven. Its symmetry and layout reflect a traditional system of order and harmony between humans and nature that has prevailed from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties all the way through to the China of today.  

Microcosm took three years to create, using high-definition scanning, modeling, PCG auto-generation, and other game technologies. A sophisticated five-level map mode covers 200km x 200km and includes 300,000 plants and 2.2 million buildings, as well as hills and water features. In all, the virtual space contains over 15 terabytes of 3D data and a total of 10.4 billion facets. 

As part of the Digital Central Axis project, Tencent has also woven the elements of the cultural wonders into many scenarios — including music, videos, animations and even mobile games — for conservation and research purposes.   

The Digital Central Axis project shows the power of big data, cloud computing, gametech, AI, and knowledge maps in conservation and heritage projects. The technologies can create meaningful experiences, help engage the public, and protect more of the world’s cultural treasures in the digital era. 

The mini programme also provides a platform for the digital watchman project, an innovative crowdsourced conservation initiative launched in December 2023.   

By simply scanning QR codes, taking photos and uploading inspection reports through the mini programme, locals and visitors can become citizen stewards, logging signs of deterioration or damage. Citizen conservation reports make it easier to maintain a large heritage site such as the Central Axis. 

“Through our digital capabilities and gametech, and with our partners, we are exploring a creative path to bring cultural heritage to life in the digital era. The Digital Central Axis Project exemplifies how digital innovation can be used not only to conserve, but also to revitalise these important cultural monuments,” said Zhan Shu, head of digital culture lab, Tencent's sustainable social value organisation. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Tencent for more information. 

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