Selling junk is far from a rubbish career

However, despite appearances, he is strict in the way he categorizes and preserves his wares.

The first categorization relates to their function, such as whether they are for daily use, handicrafts or artwork; the second is what they are made from, such as paper, metal or cloth; and the third is when they were made, either long ago or in modern times.

Living up to his frugal nature, and as a way of keeping business costs down, he and his girlfriend do any of the renovation or decoration that the shop requires by themselves. He also repairs and cleans all of the objects himself, and has even mastered enough skills to be able to call himself an electrician, a carpenter and a dab hand at mixing cement.

One visitor, with the online username Dr Rong, shared his impression of the shop on Xiaohongshu. He comments: "This shop is a treasure. There are countless items inside, some of which I don't even know the purpose of.... You can try the old-fashioned typewriter and the sound of it makes you feel as if you're time-traveling."