Ancient books hold many clues

Museum exhibition launches first interactive puzzle-solving game, attracting more visitors to understand classic texts

In an exhibition hall of the National Museum of Classic Books, located within Beijing's National Library of China, real-time puzzle game players use guidebooks while checking passages in ancient classic books, and searching for clues to solve the game.

Feng Wanwen, a player of the immersive, interactive puzzle-solving game Ancient Book Restorer — Hundred Cities Book, scanned a QR code on the guidebook to receive missions to find the hidden "truth" on the game's WeChat mini-program. The game is won by completing puzzles with clues hidden in exhibits, such as oracle bones, bamboo and wooden slips, stone inscriptions and rare ancient books.

The museum launched the exhibition in September 2024 as part of celebrations for the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the National Museum of Classic Books founded by the national library.