Flipping a new toy story

Li has since taken fanlihua beyond temple fairs and retail shelves. She has designed a do-it-yourself kit that guides users through every step, from gluing the paper honeycomb to dyeing the "flower buds", allowing even children to make their own paper toy from scratch.

She has led workshops on university campuses, including Renmin University, where students who had never heard of fanlihua spent hours folding and flipping the toys.

She is now developing English-language experiences for international visitors. "The first time foreigners see it, their reaction is the same as mine was," she says.

"Such simple materials — paper and sticks — yet so many transformations. They're fascinated."

That transformation reflects a larger trend. Traditional crafts, once regarded as old-fashioned or remote, are being redesigned through contemporary aesthetics, interactive workshops and social media-friendly spaces, experts say.

The rise of guochao, or China chic, has also encouraged younger generations to reexamine traditional culture with fresh curiosity and confidence, they agree.

But for Wang, the real problem is not whether heritage looks fashionable. It is whether it remains relevant. "Heritage cannot survive only as something displayed. It has to become part of people's lives again," Wang says.

That may explain why some of the most successful revivals in recent years have involved objects tied to everyday life rather than ceremonial symbolism — toys, accessories, stationery, teaware or textiles, she notes.