“Rebuilding the Tong-an Ships New Media Art Exhibition” features installations using a holographic projection, naked-eye 3D, augmented reality, and Kinect sensor technology as an interactive and digital art form to reinterpret the rise and fall of Tong-an ships in Chinese maritime history. With the advanced digital technologies, the audiences can enjoy a much more immersive viewing experience. The exhibition presents a splendid recreation of the heyday of East Asian maritime culture during the 19th century and the historical elegance of the Tong-an ships.

These large traditional sailing vessels, which emerged in the middle of the Qing Dynasty, were so named because they were constructed in Tong-an County of Fujian Province. They were widely used in the private sector and utilised by pirates before finally becoming the naval mainstay of the Qing court. Before the arrival of the steamship in China, Tong-an ships were the most representative sailing vessels in ancient China.

A curatorial focus of the exhibit rests on the idea of “tides”, as in “ocean tides”, “the tide of immigration”, and an “economic tide”, all of which became associated with Tong-an ships. First, ocean tides brought unlimited opportunities, opening an indispensable link to the outside world along China’s coast. Tong-an ships also helped spur a tide of immigration, adding to the development of Taiwan. With it came an economic tide, creating a rich and pluralistic maritime commercial culture at a time that saw the rise of the “Pirate Kings”, such as Cai Qian and Cheung Po Tsai. In addition, interpreting and presenting artifacts from NPM using new media technology represents a new trend, or “tide”, in contemporary exhibit installations. Thus, the kinds of “tides” mentioned above provide an objective for explaining this exhibition.

This exhibition follows three main perspectives in dealing with the subject: “Periodical Background”, “Main Characters”, and “Ship Construction”. The integrated application of advanced new technology allows audiences to fully experience the emotional impact and atmosphere of each work and thereby further understand related information on such facets as the history, military affairs, and cultural aspects of the Tong-an ships as well as the rich content of historical documents.