In recent years, Jining, East China's Shandong province, has been actively fostering the synergy between cultural and technological innovation. Qufu, a county-level city in Jining, now stands as the sole provincial pilot zone for "deep integration of culture and technology" in Shandong, as well as the nation's first regional pilot zone of its kind.

Investing 22 billion yuan ($3.08 billion), Jining constructed a high-standard cultural center near Taibai Lake, giving rise to a leading "four museums and one city" configuration, known both throughout the province and across the country. This includes a city library, a cultural center, a museum, an art museum, and an acrobatics city. Based on these facilities, a balanced public cultural system has been established, encompassing both urban and rural domains.

In Jining, 13 museums are undergoing digital conversion, while 12 libraries boast digital resources. The city library, in particular, hosts nine databases, offering the public access to 24-hour self-service book-lending facilities and various high-tech services.

Jining's approach to "smart + cultural and tourism" services diligently caters to the public with well-crafted supporting platforms, garnering over 8.9 million visits.

Institutions such as the city museum and Li Bai Memorial Hall have employed digital displays and developed online VR (virtual reality) panoramic exhibition halls. Utilizing dynamic resources like LED (light-emitting diode) screens, video clips, and AR (augmented reality) technology, they deliver enriching, interactive, and immersive experiences for visitors through striking exhibits.

An aerial view of Jining. [Photo/Jining News]