The Big Picture: bright beams bring Buddhas back

In June 2015, laser light projection temporarily resurrected the Bamiyan Buddhas, iconic 6th-century statues destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. The technology, developed by Chinese adventurers Janson Yu and Liyan Hu, projected 3D images of the 53- and 35-meter-tall Buddhas onto their original cliffside locations using a specialized projector. This demonstration showcased the potential for digital restoration to visually reconstruct lost cultural heritage, offering both symbolic revival and a proof-of-concept for preserving archaeological sites through innovative projection techniques.

(Ed.). (2015). The Big Picture: bright beams bring Buddhas back. IEEE Spectrum, 52(8), 20–21. https://doi.org/10.1109/mspec.2015.7164391