Rise of immersive VR industry drives vitality of China's cultural consumption market

XI'AN - While the world is well-acquainted with renowned Chinese archaeological discoveries like the Terracotta Army, the secrets surrounding the mausoleum of Qin Shihuang -- the first emperor of a unified China -- remain largely shrouded in mystery.

The mystery, however, is gradually being unraveled, thanks to a newly launched extended reality (XR) show in Xi'an, capital city of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, where the mausoleum is situated.

Deng Xiaojun, a local resident, recently immersed himself in this experience. Donning an all-in-one virtual reality (VR) headset, Deng described it as though he were "entering" the emperor's burial chamber and "witnessing" the legendary sight of a coffin floating on a sea of mercury.

"The Qin Shihuang mausoleum, as it unfolds before me, blends descriptions from historical texts with the creative vision of modern minds. This immersive experience is truly remarkable," said Deng at the venue in Xi'an hosting the show.

The XR show, offering a "glimpse" into the mighty emperor's afterlife palace, is part of a growing array of immersive experiences across the country. The increasing sophistication and rising popularity of these digital shows have injected fresh energy into China's culture and tourism market.

The producers of the show featuring Qin Shihuang's mausoleum used technologies such as 3D modeling, panoramic animation and VR. In addition to video and audio experiences, the show also simulates smell, heat, wind and rain, allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the recreated scenes. During its first nine days of trial operation, the show drew over 400 visitors.

Another immersive VR show, launched in Xi'an in June last year, showcases the Notre-Dame Cathedral through scientific surveying and modeling of both its interior and surrounding environment. Transcending national borders, it transports audiences directly to the heart of Parisian boulevards. Since its opening, the project has attracted over 30,000 visitors.

Discussing the show's growing appeal, Wang Yuan, the project's regional operations head and assistant general manager of the Shaanxi Culture Industry Investment Group, noted that the digital "reconstruction" of Notre-Dame allows this cultural heritage site to connect with global audiences as digital assets.

Sun Erman, general manager of Shaanxi cultural investment commercial management company, believes that such immersive digital projects hold significant commercial potential.

According to the "2024 White Paper on the Development of China's Immersive Industry," released in May 2024, the consumer market size of the immersive industry in China reached 92.7 billion yuan ($12.93 billion) by the end of 2023, and is expected to exceed 100 billion yuan in 2024.

The white paper, presented by the Illuthion International Immersive Industry Platform, defines the immersive industry to include escape rooms, script murder games, immersive performances, virtual reality shows, light and shadow art exhibitions, immersive indoor theme parks, and various other entertainment ventures. By the end of 2023, there were 32,024 immersive experience projects across the country, creating nearly 928,000 jobs.

The white paper stressed that the rapid expansion of the industry highlights the Chinese government's push for industrial restructuring and the development of new quality productive forces. At the same time, the industry meets the deeper cultural needs of the Chinese people, using modern technology to bring to life and preserve their cultural heritage.

The boom in the immersive industry aligns with a broader trend of rising expenditure on cultural activities among the Chinese population. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, per capita spending on education, culture, and entertainment in the first three quarters of 2024 totaled 2,295 yuan, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 10.1 percent.

The outlook is promising. A circular issued by the General Office of the State Council in January expressed support for the installation of immersive experience spaces in cultural venues, museums, tourist attractions, cruise ships, and more. It also pledged to assist localities in creating "ultra-high-definition, immersive, and interactive performance spaces, as well as digital exhibition venues."