In each “blind box” is a Nguyen Dynasty treasure waiting for collectors to discover with interesting information attached – Photo: NGOC ANH
On December 18, the Hue Monuments Conservation Center, along with two start-up companies Comicola and Phygital Labs, launched an experience area and introduced the project “Emperor’s Archaeology” at the Ruong House Space in the Interior Palace area – Hue Imperial City.
“De Do Archaeological Record” is a unique collectible toy project, combining the cultural heritage of the Ancient Capital of Hue, the “blind box art toy” trend and the Nomion identification technology solution with NFC (Near Field Communication) chip in the digital physical field.
Accordingly, the hidden treasure was cast in imitation of the four treasures of the ancient capital of Hue, including: Dai Hong Chung of Thien Mu Pagoda (cast by Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu in 1,710) - symbolizing belief; Khau Ha (1 of the Nine Divine Cannons, cast by King Gia Long in 1,803) symbolizing strength;
Cao Dinh (1 of the Nine Urns, cast by order of King Minh Mang in 1835) – symbolizing knowledge; and the Nguyen Dynasty Throne (1 of the 3 still preserved and conserved in Hue) – symbolizing power.
The treasure is completely hidden in a plaster chest contained in a paper box, forming the blind box “De Do Archaeology”. Users will have to “dig” by breaking through the plaster layer on the outside to unexpectedly receive a gift of one of the above treasures.
More specifically, each treasure is equipped with an NFC identification chip, allowing toy collectors to use smartphones (with NFC reading chips, similar to reading citizen identification cards) to scan and discover information about the treasure, such as: current status, interesting and useful historical stories related to the antique, information about the project...
With each product, toy collectors can explore the historical story through a surprising and vivid “archaeological” journey when tapping the smartphone on the toy. Users can also collect or give as interesting gifts in the form of “blind boxes” following the current trend. The Imperial Capital Archaeological Blind Box is expected to be distributed nationwide in December 2024.
Mr. Hoang Viet Trung, Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Center, assessed the project as a typical step in preserving, promoting and strongly spreading the values of the nation's thousand-year-old cultural and historical heritage.
“In the digital age, when popular culture and new trends emerge every day, connecting traditional cultural values with tourists and the younger generation becomes a big challenge. However, the project “The Imperial Capital Archaeology” is proving that reviving history and culture in a creative way can create a strong attraction, especially for the Gen Z generation,” Mr. Trung shared.
Using technology to preserve and spread Vietnamese heritage
The Imperial Capital Archaeological Project is considered not only to bring an interesting collecting experience but also to inspire love and pride in national history to the younger generation. The project demonstrates a new approach in combining heritage conservation and the application of pioneering technology, contributing to promoting Vietnamese culture and heritage in a creative and sustainable way.
The event marks an important step forward in the work of preserving and promoting the value of Hue's cultural heritage in particular and Vietnam's heritage in general. This is a pioneering project in combining technology and heritage, opening a model of exploiting heritage copyright to develop the cultural industry, attracting the attention of young people and the community who love history and culture.
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