In a classroom in northeastern China, students are holding conversations with Confucius — not through seances or historical reenactments, but through artificial intelligence (AI).

At Hunnan District No 9 Middle School in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, students use AI-powered software to interact with avatars of literary giants like Confucius and Lu Xun. With each interaction, these historical figures shed their textbook stiffness, becoming vivid, almost tangible guides in these students’ literary journeys.

“AI is not just a tool here, it’s more like a guide and a mentor,” said Zheng Jun, the school’s principal. “It helps students crack open the classics and explore the depths of their meaning when they hit a wall.”