Is it really the case that buying a fridge magnet has turned into a race? This scene has become a familiar sight outside the Beijing Museum of Ancient Architecture. Social media users are half complaining and half bragging about their experiences, with some saying, “I had to get in line by 6 a.m.” and others sharing, “After waiting for over two hours, I finally snagged one.” The prized item? The “Tiangong Zaojing” fridge magnet, which has become one of the most sought-after fridge magnets in Beijing, limited to one per person.
This unique product is inspired by the museum’s treasure, the “Wanshan Zhengjue Hall Tiangong Zaojing,” featuring a five-layer design that meticulously replicates the actual structure of the ancient ceiling, showcasing the intricacies and beauty of historic architecture. The layers can be displayed separately to highlight different aspects of the zhaojing or stacked together to recreate its complete form. The bottom layer has a starry design with a glow-in-the-dark effect, creating a soft light as night falls. Since its launch in May of this year, it has frequently sold out. On October 23, the museum opened online reservations for purchases, again limiting them to one per person.
Another standout fridge magnet that has captured attention is the crown magnet from the National Museum of China. The design is based on the famous artifact, the phoenix crown belonging to Empress Xiaoduan from the Ming Dynasty, intricately detailed with nine golden dragons and embellished with numerous natural rubies and pearls. Even before the fridge magnet was introduced, visitors would line up to take pictures with the crown. The careful design and craftsmanship of the magnet evoke the crown’s exquisite artistry, making its popularity completely understandable.
Currently, this phoenix crown magnet comes in both wooden and metallic versions, with a limit of two per purchase for each type.
Other popular options that also frequently sell out include the high-footed cup fridge magnet from the Hangzhou Museum and the paper-cut lamp fridge magnet from the Dunhuang Academy. The former captures not only the unique blue-green color of the ancient Yuan Dynasty porcelain but even replicates the blush effect on the surface and the artifact’s cracks. The latter features an adjustable brightness lamp that projects stunning three-dimensional images of the Nine-color Deer or flying heavenly beings when lit.
What drives the allure of these cultural fridge magnets for today’s youth?
Liu Jiecheng, an associate researcher at Peking University’s Cultural Industry Research Institute, believes that fridge magnets have long been a must-have souvenir—simple, portable, and rich in cultural significance. He emphasizes the need for museums to further refine the intellectual property value of their artifacts, ensuring that temporary trends can evolve into sustained interest.
Song Yuhan, the secretary of the Cultural Heritage Communication Committee of the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics, sees these fridge magnets as vessels for the history consumers have experienced and the world they have navigated. The surge in demand for creative fridge magnets is a natural outcome of the dual trends of cultural and tourism enthusiasm. “The magnetic pull of these items not only bridges ancient traditional culture with contemporary life but also breathes new vitality into outstanding traditional culture within the modern context,” she reflects.
