Reviving Martyrs' Faces Across Time

Border police in Xishuangbanna used AI and forensic facial reconstruction to restore portraits of three martyrs from the 1980s-1990s — Li Xinglong, Duan Guoshu, and Cao Wenxue — and unveiled the images ahead of Qingming Festival. With no original photos available, officers recreated their features by combining veteran interviews, archival records, and advanced technology. The martyrs’ sacrifices: Li shielded comrades during a 1981 gunfight; Duan drowned while rescuing a recruit in 1983; Cao died saving 23 flood victims in 1995. Their restored portraits now hang in the police department’s memorial hall, connecting past and present through visual storytelling.

#China's police #Technology #Visual legacy

By Zhang Wenling, Zhao Yiran, Zeng Yuxiang, Zou Junqi and Huang Xinyao (intern) / China Youth Daily

Image source:China Youth Daily