Old Beijing, reimagined

Inspired by the relaxed pace of life in Beijing's old alleyways, the set instantly caught the eye of shoppers and was recognized among more than 50 cultural products out of 4,400 submissions in the 2025 Beijing Gifts Global Cultural and Creative Competition in November.

The award-winning works span multiple categories, including international gifts, ancient capital impressions, sci-tech integration, scenario-based innovations, Red-themed creations and fashion trends.

Organized by multiple government organs, including the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau and Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau, the competition serves as a key driver for enhancing the Beijing Gifts brand, a trademark named after the Chinese capital.

The Beijing Fun store is among six new Beijing Gifts retail stores that were certified at the conclusion of the competition, which aimed to expand the city's cultural consumption network at major landmarks, including Beijing Daxing International Airport and the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall.

The Beijing Gifts program is executing a strategic vision to transform cultural heritage into tangible, accessible experiences, says Qiu Qing, deputy director of the resource development division of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism.

She has noted the initiative's multi-faceted growth, emphasizing a foundation of cultural integrity paired with progressive commercial and experiential innovation.

A cornerstone of the strategy is physical expansion. "Our offline network currently consists of 30 stores," Qiu says, adding that the number will continue to rise shortly.

The shops include themed spaces in commercial blocks, community-adjacent sites in hutong alleyways, as well as novel pop-up showcases within cafes and other businesses.

Those shops are strategically distributed beyond the city center, covering all six core urban districts and extending to key outer district areas like Huairou, Mentougou, Daxing and Shunyi, ensuring both residents and visitors citywide can access authentic cultural products.

This strategic rollout is yielding significant commercial results.