Digitalized monastery fresco brings visitors closer to Tibetan culture

Visitors view frescos in Tholing Monastery in Tibet via digital technology. [Photo/zjol.com]

Paintings on the wall of Tholing Monastery in Tibet have come to East China's Suzhou city via digital technology.

Featuring two giant buddhas, the high-precision digitalized images reproduce the original work in vivid detail.

"The images present the authentic features of the wall paintings, with a color rendition of over 95 percent accuracy," said Li Zhirong of Zhejiang University.

Situated in Zanda county, Ngari prefecture, Tibet autonomous region, Tholing Monastery was built in 996, with many of its murals dating back to the late 15th and early 16th century.

The paintings, showing elements of Tibetan Buddhism and local culture, have been damaged by weather, religious activities and tourists.

To protect the murals, experts at Zhejiang University and local cultural bureaus have spent six months archiving parts of the paintings.

With the digital images, visitors to an exhibition hall in East China's Jiangsu province can "see" the frescos outside Tibet for the first time.

"By setting up the archive, we can restore the paintings even if they suffer further damage in the future," said Li.