East China's Shandong province has digitally recreated an approximately 500-square-kilometer stretch of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, bringing the province's 314 bridges and 107 heritage sites to smartphones and computers. Announced at a provincial press conference on June 10, this project uses city-level 3D real-scene data to let tourists explore the canal's cultural treasures online.

Key heritage sites like Guangyue Tower, Daicun Dam, Lijian ship lock, and Liaocheng's Shanxi and Shaanxi Commercial Guildhall are modeled at the component level for detailed inspection of their structures. Shandong has also produced 18 cultural explanatory videos, architectural animations, and documentaries. Interactive features include a smart guide mini-program, a VR experience for virtually touring Guangyue Tower, and a digital guide image offering users an immersive journey through history.

The Shandong section of the Grand Canal stretches 643 kilometers through 18 counties and districts in five cities: Dezhou, Liaocheng, Tai'an, Jining, and Zaozhuang. The route comprises four UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Grand Canal itself, Taishan Mountain, the Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion (referred to as the three Confucian sites), and the Great Wall of Qi State.

Users can access all digital resources with just a tap, taking a virtual trip along the millennium-old waterway. This initiative is expected to extend tourist stays and boost local cultural tourism consumption.

The interface of the digital project's section that introduces the development and history of Grand Canal area. [Photo/Dazhong News]