In January 2025, Xiaoru participated in an architectural field survey at Bao’en Temple in Pingwu County, Sichuan Province, China. The fieldwork was organized by the Department of Architecture at Sichuan Agricultural University and involved a research team primarily composed of graduate students.

Bao’en Temple is a historic Buddhist temple complex dating to the Ming dynasty. The site preserves traditional architectural spaces and construction details that make it an important subject for the study and documentation of historic Chinese architecture.

The survey lasted approximately 3 days and involved on-site architectural documentation using 3D scanning technology.

As an undergraduate participant, Xiaoru joined the team in a supporting role rather than as a principal researcher or technical surveyor.

Fieldwork Experience

The journey from Dujiangyan to Bao’en Temple took approximately 3.5 hours by road. Located in a relatively remote part of Sichuan, the temple required a considerable amount of travel time to reach.

During the survey, Xiaoru assisted with basic on-site tasks, including transporting and handling survey equipment. The primary technical work, including the operation of scanning equipment and subsequent processing of survey data, was carried out by other members of the team.

Xiaoru also photographed the temple complex during the visit, recording architectural spaces and details encountered on site.

Although Xiaoru did not undertake the main surveying tasks, participation in the fieldwork provided an opportunity to observe how architectural documentation was organized and conducted at a historic site.

Observations and Digital Environments

One aspect of the visit that remained particularly relevant to Xiaoru was the practical difficulty of accessing historic architectural sites.

The journey to Pingwu required approximately 3.5 hours from Dujiangyan, and visiting the temple involved travel to a relatively remote town.

This experience contributed to Xiaoru’s interest in how digital environments might provide additional ways to observe and explore historic architecture without requiring visitors to travel to the physical site.

Later in 2025, Xiaoru continued experimenting with virtual architectural and landscape environments through Minecraft, including an independent Chinese garden design project.

The digital garden was not a reconstruction of Bao’en Temple. However, the fieldwork formed part of Xiaoru’s broader experience of visiting historic architectural sites and considering the possibilities and limitations of physical and virtual environments.

Documentation and Project Outcome

The field survey concluded after approximately 3 days.

The team’s principal documented output was a 3D point-cloud model of the Bao’en Temple complex. Xiaoru’s individual materials from the visit include photographs of the historic buildings and architectural details.