Visitors explore the exhibition Building Without Borders: A Dialogue Between Chinese Wisdom and World Architecture at the China Cultural Center in Sofia, Bulgaria. [Photo provided to Tide News]

A special exhibition highlighting traditional Chinese architecture and digital heritage preservation has opened at the China Cultural Center in Sofia, Bulgaria, bringing one of Ningbo's most distinctive architectural features to European audiences.

Titled Building Without Borders: A Dialogue Between Chinese Wisdom and World Architecture, the exhibition centers on Ningbo's spiral caisson ceilings, or zaojing — ornate wooden dome-like structures commonly found above the stages of traditional Chinese opera theaters. Known for their intricate bracket systems and layered geometric designs, the ceilings are regarded as masterpieces of traditional timber architecture.

Jointly organized by the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, the Ningbo Institute of Culture and Tourism Studies, and the China Cultural Center in Sofia, the exhibition combines physical models with immersive digital experiences. Using high-precision 3D modeling, virtual reality, and digital architectural visualization, visitors can explore details of the centuries-old structures that would otherwise be difficult to access. 

The exhibition also features digital reconstructions of four historic buildings connected to Ningbo's cultural heritage, including the former Zhejiang Customs House, Jiangbei Catholic Church, Tiantong Temple, and the Hu Clan Ancestral Hall in Ninghai county. Together, they illustrate centuries of cultural exchange, religious interaction, and architectural development across China and beyond.

The exhibition is the latest result of more than a decade of research by a team led by Xie Jing, a professor of architecture and urban studies at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China. The team has documented and digitally preserved traditional stage architecture across Ningbo, where more than 300 historic opera stages remain.

The exhibition runs through Aug 31 and is open to the public free of charge.