Feature: Using new technology, Chinese couple helps Bamiyan's giant Buddha "reappear"

The Bamyan province in central Afghanistan had a rare chance to see the world tallest standing Buddha again after a visiting Chinese couple revived one of the two Buddhas through an image projection technology.

The Chinese couple, Zhang Xinyu and Liang Hong, has successfully projected the image of the tallest Buddha in Bamyan Valley on Saturday and Sunday, using the latest cultural relics- friendly technology, eliciting cheers from the local people.

Bamyan was once a major tourist destination and a prosperous town in Afghanistan in the pre-war period some three and a half decades ago. It has a strategic location being a major town straddling the ancient Silk Road.

In an exclusive interview on Thursday, Zhang Xinyu told Xinhua that he and his wife Liang Hong came up with the idea of reviving one of the Buddhas through image projection and modern technology to remind the people of Bamyan of their priceless cultural heritage and once splendid civilization.

"When I saw the smile on the people's face in Bamyan, I know what we have done was quite meaningful, not only for the Bamyan people, but also for ourselves. We want to find a way to help the people there and showing the Buddha by image projection was the best we could do," Liang Hong said.

Earlier this month, the Chinese couple made a stop in Afghanistan as part of their multi-nation tour along the ancient Silk Road.

The destruction of the giant Buddha carved on the rock by Taliban has drawn wide condemnation not just from within the country but also from around the world.

"We knew very little about Afghanistan before we came here. Our entire image of this strife-torn nation was merely about poverty and suicide attacks," Zhang said.

Zhang said that during their ten-day tour of the country, they have seen the harsh conditions of the people, and they realized the importance of peace and stability to a nation.

The couple said they were both proud and happy after seeing the smiles of the Afghan people, particularly the children, as they cheered the appearance of the Buddha through image projection.

"Many kids in Bamyan told me that they have never seen the Buddha. All they have seen was the huge hole where the Buddha used to be on the mountain side before it was blasted off by the Taliban," Liang said.

Liang said she hoped the government and the insurgents could reach an accord so that the country can have peace and security. She said both she and her husband witnessed a bomb blast not too far away from where they were when they were driving in Jalalabad.

After projecting the image of Buddha, the couple donated the image projection equipment, worth 100,000 U.S. dollars, to the local government so that they can perform similar shows in the future.

The two giant Buddhas were bombed and smashed to the ground by Taliban in 2001 despite appeals from the international community.

After the collapse of the Taliban in late 2001, the Afghan government, with the assistance of international groups, started a massive reconstruction process at the site to attract local and foreign visitors.

The eight cultural relics in the Bamyan Valley, including the giant Buddhas and Shahr-e-Ghulghula or "Screaming City," have been jointly listed as world's cultural heritage by the UNESCO in 2003.

However, foreign nationals rarely visit this tourist destination any more mainly for security concerns and partly due to the lack of tourism facilities.

Bamyan is rich in tourist attractions. Aside from the cultural relics, Afghanistan's only national park of Band-e-Amir is also located in this central province.

Like other economic sectors in the country, the tourism industry has been badly damaged due to the ongoing protracted war and civil conflicts.

Unofficial sources said that if fully developed, the tourism industry in Afghanistan can bring in up to five billion U.S. dollars in revenues every year. But the government must first ensure the security and safety of the places foreign tourists would visit before the tourism industry can be revived. Endi