Beijing Gifts turns fair into cultural salon

From Peking Opera-inspired collectibles and imperial-style porcelain to ethnic handicrafts and eco-friendly coffee cups, the Beijing Gifts brand brought together tradition, design and lifestyle at the inaugural China New Cultural and Creative Market and Trendy Carnival in Beijing on May 15.

Marking the 15th anniversary of the city's flagship cultural tourism brand, the showcase transformed part of Chaoyang Park's Chaoyang Museum of Urban Planning into an immersive "urban cultural salon", presenting more than 200 selected products from nearly 1,000 certified Beijing Gifts items.

The fair, themed "Culture Enriches Life, Creativity Shapes the Future", gathered more than 10 leading cultural institutions and intangible cultural heritage organizations, including the Capital Library of China and Beijing Jingju Theater.

Divided into six themed sections — culture, elegance, gifts, craftsmanship, emotion and museums — the exhibition traced connections between Beijing's historical heritage and contemporary consumer culture.

One section featured creative products inspired by ancient books and traditional craftsmanship, including paper-cutting works, filigree-inlay jewelry and cultural IP characters developed from library collections. Another highlighted Peking Opera-themed products such as miniature opera helmets, phoenix crown ornaments and facial-mask-inspired skincare products designed to appeal to younger consumers.

A section dedicated to heritage-inspired giftware displayed porcelain inspired by the famous painting A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains alongside panda-themed diplomatic souvenirs. Other displays featured educational toys based on ancient Chinese joinery techniques, ethnic handicrafts linked to rural vitalization programs, and museum-derived cultural products from Beijing's leading museums.

Interactive experiences were also a major attraction. Visitors tried on Peking Opera costumes, collected commemorative stamps from opera performers and watched live demonstrations by intangible cultural heritage inheritors, including embroiderers and seal-carving artists.

The exhibition also promoted sustainable consumption. Beijing Gifts partnered with a coffee brand to launch reusable cups made from recycled coffee grounds, echoing China's broader environmental goals and encouraging collaboration between the cultural tourism and catering sectors.

According to organizers, 19 Beijing Gifts stores across the capital simultaneously launched discounts and promotional events during the fair to encourage wider public participation.

Launched in 2011, Beijing Gifts has evolved from a tourism souvenir label into what organizers describe as one of China's first registered city-gift trademarks named after a city. The brand now works with more than 100 enterprises and has established standards for products and retail stores.

During the event, the brand also issued an initiative advocating environmentally friendly packaging and reducing material waste across the cultural and creative industries.

Officials from Beijing's culture and tourism authorities said the brand will continue promoting the creative transformation of traditional culture while helping more Beijing-inspired products reach broader domestic and international audiences.