E-mail lunthesis@163.com Phone 0551-65179860-203

Cultural items increasingly tailored to attract youth

Pub Date:2024-02-22 09:16 Source:China Daily

LANZHOU — A plush toy named "Happy Loong" has recently captured the hearts of visitors to the Gansu Provincial Museum in Lanzhou, Gansu province.

Modeled after a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) gold ornament in the shape of a loong, or Chinese dragon, over 1,000 of the chubby, grinning toys were sold in the first week after it made its debut earlier this year.

Wu Xiaoyu, one of the toy's designers, said the museum's creative cultural product design team had aimed to create a more adorable and joyous version of the traditional loong to cater to the tastes of young people.

Established in 2015, the team consists of 12 young designers, with the youngest age 24.

This innovative approach to museum souvenirs reflects a broader trend of making cultural products more appealing to young Chinese museum-goers, driving up revenue across various museums.

The Palace Museum's online store, for instance, offers playful and humorous souvenirs featuring emperors in Chinese history. These souvenirs range from lipsticks and fans to adhesive tape and wallets, and have received rave reviews from customers.

Similarly, the Liaoning Provincial Museum has developed nearly 300 types of cultural products that generated 14 million yuan ($2 million) in revenue last year.

According to Cui Youxin, head of the creative cultural product center at the Gansu Provincial Museum, the success of these innovative souvenirs lies in their ability to meet the demands of young people seeking relaxation and individuality.

However, Cui emphasized that creating truly ingenious cultural products requires an intimate knowledge of cultural relics and their historical background.

"Only those deeply rooted in the soil of Chinese history and culture can stand the test of time," she said.

In addition to Happy Loong, the Gansu Provincial Museum offers stuffed toys inspired by the flying apsaras of the Mogao Grottoes and the bronze galloping horse from the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), all of which combine rich history with Gen-Z appeal.

Gao Yafang, head of the tourism college at the Lanzhou University of Arts and Science, said that such souvenirs have the potential to stimulate young people's interest in cultural heritage and encourage them to preserve traditional culture.

Looking ahead, the museum souvenir market in China is expected to continue growing.

China's central economic work conference, which was held in December, proposed that the country should actively develop new consumption growth points such as China-chic goods in 2024.

This presents abundant opportunities for designers like Wu.

"We will continue to do our best to develop innovative and satisfying products," she said. "We do this out of love and enthusiasm."

Xinhua

Editor:Zheng Chen

Related News
- Coca-Cola to 'keep investing' in Chinese market    2024-02-22 09:16
- Record-breaking traffic volume on Anhui's expressway netw...    2024-02-21 16:31
- Huangshan, Anhui: 55 folk activities liven up the Lantern...    2024-02-21 11:06
- China's commerce ministry highlights roundtable's role fo...    2024-02-21 09:18
 
photo  >>
Wuhu, Anhui: 100,000 mu of canola flowers blossoming
Guest countries of honor attract visitors at 6th CIIE
Video  >>
Celebrating the Lantern Festival with Operas “戏”元宵
Joyful ice and snow activities are driving a new boom in the ice and snow economy
People  >>
Hebei rolls out red carpet for talent
Transnational couple revives ancient dwelling in east China
Travel  >>
探秘武王墩。“最大鼎”即将走红?
旅行爱好者请注意!第十四届安徽国际文化旅游节开幕啦。
Contact Us
Copyright ©2000-2021 anhuinews.com All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. 皖B2-20080023-7