New life for ancient ruins

Exhibition uses interactive high-tech displays to immerse visitors in Niya site artifacts unearthed in Xinjiang, Zhang Kun reports.

The first digital exhibition to spotlight the Niya ruins site in the country's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region is open to the public at the Alight Room Lafayette Culture Space in Shanghai through July 25.

The Niya ruins are located in Minfeng county in the Hotan prefecture, about 115 kilometers north of the modern-day Niya town. Known locally as Jingjue in documents from the Western Jin Dynasty (265-316), Niya was once a thriving oasis in the southern Taklimakan Desert and a major commercial center on the southern branch of the Silk Road.

The archaeological site has drawn wide interest among historians, scientists and artists because of its legendary findings in the depths of the desert, historical mysteries and cultural heritage.