Scroll down to watch the full film with sound
Background
As a national cultural asset and the centerpiece of the Xuchang Museum, the Eighty-Seven Immortals Scroll plays a central role in the city’s cultural development strategy.
The challenge was to preserve the integrity of the original work while making it accessible to the public through contemporary digital media.
Outcome
I led a 19-designer team to reconstruct and animate Wu Daozi’s 8th-century masterpiece, delivering a 2,900 × 300 cm immersive projection at the museum’s main entrance.
Commissioned by the Xuchang Municipal Government and the museum, the project debuted during the official launch of a commemorative stamp series and received wide media recognition for elevating public cultural appreciation and the city’s cultural image.
Full Immersive Film (5:30 with sound)
Role & Scope
Creative Director / Design Lead (led a 19-designer interdisciplinary team)
Scope
Creative direction
Artistic standards
Technical approach
Stakeholder alignment (museum + government)
Scale
2,900 × 300 cm immersive installation
3-month timeline
Objective
Honor Wu Daozi’s aesthetic philosophy Wu Dai Dang Feng
Translate ink brushwork into poetic, rhythmic motion
Create an immersive narrative with synchronized sound
Key Design Decision
Pixel-based animation vs. vector-based animation
Why vector failed artistically
Why pixel-based preserved calligraphic spirit
Hand re-drawing with ink & brush
High-resolution scanning and animation
My team’s pixel based animation captures the spirit of Wu’s style.
Vector based animation sample provided by another studio.
Execution at Scale
Broke the scroll into narrative chapters
Directed motion pacing and transitions
Ensured stylistic consistency across 19 designers
Coordinated audio with visual chapters
Final Experience
Impact & Recognition
Museum opening ceremony launch
Commemorative stamp release
Major media coverage
Rated as the most artistically stunning animation since
Along the River During the Qingming Festival (2008 World Expo)
Team & Collaboration
Team members: Jia Zheng, Chenmin Xing, Yinyin Yuan, Fanglie Ying, Xu Xia, Nan Guo, Bingyi Cao, Xining Wang, Xue Chen, Pengfei Pei, Tingting Li, Hanyu Qiu, Guangmei Ma, Xue Gong, Zhuang Hao, Yuna Liu, Lingfeng Zhang, Zihan Wang, Jiajia Zhai
