Short videos bring past to life

Many of her followers left comments about how they better understood depression.

"It surprised me that some patients with depression also told their own experiences in the messages and addressed the prejudices (against them)," Wang says.

She was particularly impressed by a college student who was admitted to a good university after having to quit high school for two years for treatment.

"These individuals who have emerged from depression may bring encouragement and hope to other patients by sharing their own experiences," she says.

Last year, Wang's two videos about submarine museums in Shanghai shed light on structures and functions of submarines and enabled the online community to better appreciate the challenging environment and harsh conditions faced by submariners.

Wang says she has also noticed how museums have been striving in recent years to make obscure and profound historical knowledge interesting and relatable.

"Museums have undergone significant transformation, and many official institutions are using fresh and lively formats, as well as the latest technological means, to make cultural relics more accessible to the audience," Wang says.

An increasing number of museums have developed short videos, stage performances and recreational programs to showcase what they have to offer and draw more public attention, she says.

Many lesser-known museums have become hot spots for young visitors through those efforts.

On May 18, which marked the 47th International Museum Day, the total number of views for museum-related videos on Douyin in the past year reached 51.34 billion, which is equivalent to 66 times the annual visitor count of all museums nationwide, according to the 2023 museum data report released by Douyin.

Most of the nation's museums are in first- and second-tier cities, especially capital cities, says Liu Wanming, deputy director of the National Museum of China.

It makes it harder for residents living in relatively remote areas to enjoy related cultural services.

The emergence of Wang and other museum video bloggers, or vloggers, has helped to break the geographical boundaries and bring museums closer to people nationwide.

To date, the most popular museums on the Chinese mainland include the Palace Museum, the former imperial residence in Beijing; Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, home of the Terracotta Warriors in Shaanxi province; and the National Museum of China in Beijing, according to the Douyin report.

Wang says online tours are a good complement to in-person attendance and often boost such visits.

"It can ultimately help generate genuine pride and interest among a broader audience in museums and the rich historical and cultural heritage of the Chinese nation," she says.