The Gateway of Time: A glimpse of life in early years of PRC

If you enter The Gateway of Time and choose to step into the shoes of a northern Chinese farmer in 1955, we would tell you to put your tools down, have some hot water and unwind – it's been a long day in the fields. Allow the "kang," a type of heated bed, to radiate warmth across the room, while you smile at children's scribbles on the wall.

Such are the simple joys of life that you can experience as you enter The Gateway of Time, an interactive AR+AI tour of conceptual Chinese homes. Crafted by CGTN to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China (PRC), this experience offers a vivid look at how life has evolved over the decades.

It creatively uses the concept of time travel to transport you to homes set in three distinct periods of the PRC: the early years after the founding, the period after reform and opening up, and the modern day.

Led by the voice of a guide, you can explore these homes and learn about some macroeconomic indicators of the times, all with a touch of a personal story of a man named Jianguo, which we'll leave you to unfurl.

Inspired by real homes, the village house depicted in the first scene of The Gateway of Time symbolically portrays the actual conditions people experienced back then.

The room is equipped with a traditional heated platform called "kang" along with a set of farming tools which suggest this home belongs to a farmer. There are also some toys laying around along with the utensils they used back then.

Sturdy wooden stools, the faint scent of firewood and the door adorned with garlic and chili peppers all bring to life a period when survival and hope intertwined.

In this scene, the visitors can also learn about cloth coupons, which were a vital part of life during this difficult period, as they were required to obtain fabric for making clothes. They highlight the scarcity of consumer goods and the government's efforts to manage resources.

In 1955, most people in China lived in rural areas and the urbanization rate was really low. Most of the people worked in the primary industry and the GDP per capita was 150 yuan that year, but the disposable income of rural residents was less than half that figure.

Reflective of these figures, this humble abode depicts the struggles and resilience of a generation that helped build the country's foundation. This journey serves as a reminder of how far the country has come, and how much of its spirit was forged in homes just like these. So, pick up your phone, hit this link, and come on in to experience it all – The Gateway of Time awaits!