Move over, Assassin’s Creed – Hangzhou is leveling up cultural preservation with a modern twist! 🕹️ Local designer Zhang Chao is blending history and tech by recreating the iconic Chinese mainland city in a video game, letting global explorers wander its ancient streets from their screens.
🏯 Known for its West Lake vistas and 1,200-year-old Grand Canal, Hangzhou has long balanced innovation with heritage. Now, Zhang’s digital playground offers interactive pagodas, bustling tea houses, and even AI-powered Song Dynasty merchants. 'It’s like time travel with a joystick,' he laughs.
🌐 The project has already drawn attention from gamers and history buffs worldwide. One Tokyo-based streamer tweeted: 'Never thought I’d \'raid\' a 13th-century temple – this is next-gen cultural exchange!'
📱 For young professionals and diaspora communities, it’s a fresh way to connect. 'My grandma cried seeing our ancestral neighborhood in 4K,' shares Emily Chen, a San Francisco-based engineer. Meanwhile, tourism experts hint this could reshape how cities engage Gen Z travelers.
What’s next? Zhang hints at AR integration: 'Imagine seeing Marco Polo’s caravan materialize on your morning commute.' Ancient meets algorithm – and the future looks pixel-perfect. ✨
Reference(s):
From the past into the future | Digital Hangzhou in video games
cgtn.com