Sanxingdui exhibition offers immersive peek behind the masks

"Staging an immersive exhibition brings Sanxingdui closer to people, no matter where they are. By turning the inanimate artifacts into an audiovisual show, the experience also provides the audience a glimpse of the magnificence of the Shu kingdom and its cultural features, all of which have been preserved in Sichuan," Ren says.

Having been introduced to the general public a century ago, the reach of Sanxingdui feels greater these days, as the market for creative products related to the ancient site and its artifacts has grown. A musical inspired by Sanxingdui was staged in Beijing from Nov 16 to 19, and will tour other cities; Meet Ancient Shu, another immersive show, will open at the Meet You Museum in Beijing's 798 art zone in early December.

Tan Ping, head of Art Exhibitions China, one of the producers of Hello Sanxingdui, says it is of vital importance to inform the general public about archaeological discoveries and developments in relevant research, while it relies on new ideas and techniques to bring people innovative cultural experiences. He says an exhibition like Hello Sanxingdui will engage people with a vision of life in the Shu kingdom, "to see how they lived, the stories they were telling for generations and their creativity to produce the objects which still inspire awe in people three millennia later".