When Ancient Meets Everyday: The Creative Charm of Yinxu
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- October 27, 2025
- 6:42 am
During the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays, the Yinxu Museum in Anyang turned into one of the city’s most popular stops. Inside the museum’s Liwen Hall, visitors crowded the aisles to explore over 40 new cultural products and more than 300 bestsellers. These modern creations transform oracle bone scripts, bronze motifs, and other symbols of the Shang civilization into beautiful, practical keepsakes — bringing ancient culture into daily life.
Ancient Symbols, Modern Design
At one counter, a visitor from Wuhan, Ms. Guo Bing, was torn between choices:
“These fridge magnets come in four designs for the seasons — I love them all. I can’t pick just one!”
Her favorite “Four Seasons” magnet set features motifs from national treasures such as the Fu Hao Jade Phoenix and Fu Hao Owl Bronze Vessel. Each magnet combines historical detail with modern aesthetics, making them both elegant and functional.
Other new releases include an AR interactive bronze magnet that reveals 3D effects when scanned, a DIY bronze-bull figure you can assemble and shake, and the “Shang Shadow” luminous magnet, inspired by the museum’s ancient palettes and jade parrots. Every detail—from light intensity to battery life—was designed to balance authenticity with modern usability.
Culture You Can Take Home
Visitors didn’t just come to look — they came to shop.
Ms. Wang Yuning from Beijing proudly showed off her finds:
“I finally got the Owl Hair-Dry Cap everyone online says is sold out! And the Yinxu calendar—there are three editions now, and they’re planning a collector’s set. I also grabbed the Bronze Hand souvenir for my best friend!”
According to the Yinxu Museum’s cultural product team, sales surged during the holidays, with top-sellers including the Oracle Bone Resin Magnets, Owl Hair Cap, Oracle Bone Blind Box, and Shang Shadow Magnet.
So far, the museum has developed over 1,200 creative items across nine categories—from stationery and lifestyle goods to educational toys.
The museum’s third-floor Oracle Coffee has also become a must-visit. Visitors can enjoy drinks printed with ancient characters and desserts shaped like artifacts.
“You can get coffee anywhere, but not one with oracle bone letters — and you can even pick your zodiac character! It’s such a unique experience,” said Ms. Guo from Anhui, after trying the signature “Character Latte.”
A family from Gansu added:
“We just saw the Bronze Bull relic upstairs, and now we’re eating a dessert inspired by it! Learning culture through taste is far more memorable than reading about it.”
Culture Reimagined
From artifact to artwork, from museum hall to daily life — Yinxu is building a living bridge between the past and the present.
This holiday season, visitors didn’t just admire relics; they tasted, touched, and took home the spirit of the Shang Dynasty. Each creative product carries a story, spreading the memory and charm of ancient Anyang far beyond the museum walls.
