Old Beijing, reimagined

Refrigerator magnets of buses are another bestseller in the store.

Flipping open the outer bus body reveals vibrant scenes of life inside: an auntie deftly knitting, a grandfather leisurely fanning himself, an aluminum lunchbox deformed from being squeezed into a mesh bag.

They all derive from the mind of the shop's founder, who was born in the 1960s and used bus passes in his youth. The founder suggested drawing inspiration from them for new products, Wang recalls.

The team then studied old photographs and later launched refrigerator magnets replicating the passes from the 1980s and '90s.

Wang emphasizes that her design team consists mostly of Beijing natives, and nearly all their ideas are drawn from deep-seated memories of local life.

"These elements, so intimately connected to people's lives, easily evoke emotional resonance, creating an emotional link between the cultural product and the customer," Wang explains.

Qiu from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism says the future path involves persistent cooperation to upgrade the entire industry ecosystem.

"As a cultural emblem of the capital, the Beijing Gifts program is a bridge for communication. Through these gifts, we are committed to presenting China's image to the world and sharing the profound depth of our traditional culture," she says.