With its distinctive culture and architecture as an inspiration, north China's Shanxi Province has rolled out a range of beautifully designed cultural souvenirs that became must-have items for residents and tourists during the National Day holiday.
Cultural and creative products flew off the shelves during the holiday in Shanxi's capital Taiyuan, with some stores seeing sales more than double their usual levels.
At a small shop offering over 2,000 different items, tourists browsed products inspired by Shanxi's ancient architecture and local industries. One bestseller, a cute little black item called "coal ball", draws on Shanxi's reputation as a major coal-producing province.
The shop owner said they now process nearly 1,000 orders a day. In the first half of this year, the shop's revenue reached 10 million yuan (about 1.49 million U.S. dollars), up 15 percent year on year.
"Wherever I travel, I always look for cultural and creative products that represent the local culture. I buy a lot of fridge magnets, but I've never seen such a wide variety," said Hao Zhiyuan, a tourist from Beijing.
"Basically, whenever friends from out of Shanxi come to visit, or when I visit friends elsewhere, I'll bring them some Shanxi cultural and creative products as a keepsake," said Jingzi, a Taiyuan resident.
Not far from this shop is another with even busier business, where tourists could barely squeeze in. It is one of a dozen stores nationwide selling a popular statue line. Their cultural and creative series features a little monk that embodies a relaxed attitude toward life. It went viral after launching in 2024 and has sold nearly 3 million units so far.
Behind the strong sales of cultural and creative products is Shanxi's booming tourism industry in recent years, fueled by hit games and film and television works showcasing the region's ancient architecture. Now, cultural and creative brands are riding this wave, rolling out new designs and winning over consumers.
"The market is developing incredibly fast, and products that fail to keep up can quickly be phased out. So, we have to stay on our toes, constantly coming up with new ideas and updating our products," said Feng Xiaojing, brand manager of Jinli Cultural and Creative Store.
She also said that they will look for more creative designers, expand partnerships, and cultivate a new generation of young talent.
Cultural, creative products emerge as draw for Shanxi's National Day holiday tourists
