Projectors bring Song Dynasty splendor to life in Kaifeng

Images courtesy of Jianye Display

KAIFENG, China — Christie^® 1DLP laser projectors are illuminating “Moon Over Kaifeng’s Southern Courtyard,” a spectacular nighttime cultural performance that transforms Kaifeng city in Henan province into a sweeping canvas of light, architecture, landscape, and water.

Installed and commissioned by Jianye Display, the large-scale experience is delivered using 24 Christie HS Series, Inspire Series, and Captiva laser projectors. The cultural tourism project seeks to reawaken Kaifeng—the ancient capital of eight dynasties—after dark by combining immersive projection and live performances to animate a historic government courthouse and a picturesque lake. The result is a compelling nighttime attraction that draws enthusiastic crowds while advancing the city’s vision of integrated culture, commerce, and tourism.

“This project demanded absolute precision at every stage, from structural validation to sub-millimeter calibration,” said Zhiqiang Tan, project manager at Jianye Display. “The Christie laser projectors used in the performances provided the brightness, reliability, and image consistency needed to transform complex architectural and natural surfaces into a cohesive, emotionally powerful nighttime experience.”

From concept to completion, Jianye Display’s technical team navigated complex challenges with meticulous care, from structural verification to fine-tuned laser calibration. Tan noted that precise adjustments helped to reduce projection focus variance to within 0.5 millimeters, ensuring that history is presented with contemporary clarity and visual fidelity. 

Each evening, as drums echo through the city gate tower, a 3D countdown signals the start of the performance. Gauze screens, mountain backdrops, a stone tablet and a majestic hall converge in a carefully choreographed crescendo, culminating in the resounding call of legendary Song Dynasty judge Bao Zheng, also known as Justice Bao: “Ascend the court!”

At the Heavenly King Hall, the primary performance venue, a 31-meter-wide (101-foot-wide) by 17-meter-high (55-foot-high) projection transforms the grand façade into a “living mural.” This visual centerpiece is achieved using six HS Series laser projectors delivering 19,150 lumens each, bathing the structure in vibrant imagery that sets the stage for immersive storytelling rooted in Song Dynasty history.

Flanking the Hall, vivid imagery on gauze screens measuring 16 meters (52 feet) long and 3 meters (10 feet) high adds further depth and drama to the live performances. These visuals are seamlessly delivered via rear projection using 10 Captiva DWU500S ultra short throw laser projectors, enveloping audiences with layered, three-dimensional scenes that enhance both scale and intimacy.

In front of the Heavenly King Hall, a monumental stone tablet becomes another powerful storytelling surface. In a striking three-sided projection, two DWU760-iS laser projectors animate the stone with dazzling visuals, revealing the Chinese character for “integrity” stroke by stroke, as if etched by time. The projections measure 3.8 meters (12.5 feet) wide by 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) high across all three sides.

At the rear garden of the historic courthouse, the mirror-like Mingjing Lake takes center stage. Here, six HS Series laser projectors illuminate a 30-meter-high (98-foot-high) by 14-meter-wide (46-foot-wide) mountain backdrop and a 17-meter-wide (55-foot-wide) water screen. Used in conjunction with live performances, the visuals unfold like an unfurled scroll—merging water, poetry, and moonlight to celebrate the works of Su Shi, one of China’s most revered Song Dynasty poets.

Gene Wang, director of ProAV Sales for China, Christie, commented, “‘Moon Over Kaifeng’s Southern Courtyard’ is a powerful example of how projection can bridge heritage and modern storytelling. By combining multiple Christie laser projectors in a single, large-scale deployment, the project showcases how advanced visualization can elevate cultural tourism and bring history vividly to life.”