Museums giving the past a future

Besides drinks, ice cream shaped like ancient architecture and famous tourist sites was a smash with visitors during the summer of 2021. A melon flavored ice cream in the shape of a green running horse was a particular favorite. The horse design was based on a famous bronze figure excavated in Gansu province and renowned for its exquisite casting. It is categorized as a national treasure by the National Cultural Heritage Administration in 1996.

Meanwhile, the rock caves and the red nine-floor tower of the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Gansu, two iconic tourist sites, also inspired local museums to produce similarly shaped ice cream.

"Sometimes we buy the cosmetics and food produced by museums not because they are of better quality compared with others or they taste really special but because we treasure the culture behind them," Zi said. "When we buy them, it is also our way to adore the beauty of tradition and show respect to our traditional culture."