An episode centered on Hangzhou from the series "Discovering China" shows that three guests were invited to use VR technology to visit three Metaverse "space stations" in Hangzhou – the Digital Character Studio, the century-old brand Hu Qingyutang (a famous traditional Chinese medicine store), and the E-Sports Center – to bring viewers the new experience of switching from the real world to the virtual one.

Committed to developing an immersive "Smart Asian Games," Hangzhou has been integrating science and technology into the construction of its venues, viewing experiences, and even into the basic necessities of life, with the aim of integrating the smart games and the smart city, and the culture of the Games with the city’s ancient culture. The 19th Asian Games is a golden opportunity for Hangzhou to showcase its cutting-edge technology on the global stage, and an ideal place for the three guests to start their journey through this new era of digital intelligence. 

Digital torchbearers bringing people closer together

The recently unveiled digital torchbearer program allows any smartphone user to take part in the torch relay. Bidak Melissa, from Russia, visited the first Metaverse space station – the Digital Character Studio – wearing VR glasses, where she discovered the original idea behind the program, the problems faced during its development process, and the ways to take part in the digital torch relay. The design engineer customized a digital torchbearer for Melissa to demonstrate the personalized experience in the virtual space more visually to the public. Melissa said she felt like she was occupying a real digital space. In fact, the use of VR technology helps to break down the limitations of space, immerse users in the digital space and bring people closer.

A screenshot shows Melissa Bidak from Russia visiting the Digital Character Studio in Hangzhou. /CMG

Century-old brand continues to thrive with vitality

Throughout the long history of traditional Chinese medicine, many time-honored brands have developed over time and are worthy of our appreciation and preservation. Anna Christine, a lover of Chinese culture from Australia, chose to wear hanfu (traditional Han-style clothing) to visit the 2nd Metaverse space station – Hu Qingyutang. She learned about the history of the Hu Qingyutang brand and about how Chinese people use food as medicine from the director of the center and sought advice from a traditional Chinese doctor on do's and don'ts when exercising in the hot summer months. In Anna's opinion, the traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes the concept of "harmony" between the human body and mind, between qi and blood, and between human beings and nature. This is consistent with the concept of "harmony" in traditional Chinese culture, where the focus is on balance and following the principles of moderation. For example, the principles of moderation should be followed in daily life in terms of diet, exercise, and recreation.

A screenshot shows Anna Christine from Australia who wears hanfu to visit Hu Qingyutang, a time-honored brand of traditional Chinese medicine in Hangzhou. /CMG

Hangzhou is building an industrial cluster for E-sports

In the Beijingyuan E-Sports Eco-Park in the Gongshu district of Hangzhou, a building shaped like a "starship" is particularly conspicuous. It is the Hangzhou E-sports Center, the 1st purpose-built stadium for Asian Games E-sports competitions in China. Jacopo Maria Lasala from Italy visited the 3rd Metaverse space station – the E-sports Center – to learn about its design concept, the cutting-edge technology it contains, the future vision for developing China’s e-sports industry, and the relationship between the e-sports industry and the Metaverse. In his opinion, the Asian Games will present Hangzhou with a golden opportunity to develop China’s e-sports industry, and as an emerging form of sport, e-sports will continue to reflect the lifestyle and consumption habits of the younger generations. Fueled by the development of digital technology, e-sports, one of the driving forces behind the development of the Metaverse in the early days, is set to inspire infinite possibilities in tandem with the Metaverse.

A screenshot shows Jacopo Maria Lasala from Italy visiting the E-Sports Center in Hangzhou. /CMG

The three guests immersed themselves in the Metaverse through VR technology in Hangzhou, visually visiting the venues without the limitations of space or geography, experiencing the smart life, and enjoying the convenience brought about by the integration of digital technology into every aspect of daily life.

Committed to the development of cutting-edge technology and emerging industries, Hangzhou has become a leading example for Chinese cities looking to shape the next generation of the Internet and the future digital space. It is noteworthy that Hangzhou is making continuous efforts to explore ways to transform and implement scientific and technological achievements more effectively, maximize economic benefits through scientific and technological innovation, and create more possibilities to advance the development of Metaverse technology.