Cultural and creative industries continue to write the story of Beijing's central axis

Passing through the signs hanging in front of old Beijing shops and stepping into the Qiankun space of the "treasure" shop deep in Beijing's Yangmeizhuxie Street, you will see a dazzling array of Chinese trendy cultural and creative products, where the central axis story of the fusion of ancient and modern times is performed.

The central axis of Beijing is a "living heritage" that has witnessed the urban evolution of the Yuan, Ming, Qing and modern times for more than 7 centuries, and it has remained fresh over time. From the evening drums and morning bells at the northernmost end to the hustle and bustle of the southernmost end, the style of the ancient capital unfolds a vivid picture on this line.

Today, a variety of cultural and creative products have "connected" the central axis of Beijing to the daily lives of more people - spread out a tea towel with an old Beijing city map, use a ceramic coaster with "Qianlong style" patterns, drink tea, and talk about the "five ridges and six beasts" of the Forbidden City and the old signboards in the alleys. When you are in the mood, you can also write a postcard with an old photo of the Qianmen Arrow Tower to your relatives and friends...

"When you come here, you can see many old objects from Chinese history. We have also designed some cultural and creative products based on real ancient objects, hoping to let more people understand the historical style of the ancient capital Beijing." Wang Jing, co-operator of Qiankun Space, told China Business News that the location of this store was once a private bank during the Republic of China period. Now the space has been reused and become a place to showcase Chinese culture and the style of the ancient capital in a diverse way.

"I have explored Yangmeizhuxie Street by bike before and found that there are many cultural and creative stores on this street, and this store is particularly popular. My first impression of this place is the surging crowds. The reason why this store attracts me to come here often is that they cooperate with many artists and launch a variety of cultural and creative peripherals." A Beijing citizen who is experiencing the traditional Chinese dyeing technique of plant printing and dyeing said that in her opinion, Qiankun Space is using cultural and creative and interactive experiences to fuel the enthusiasm for traditional culture.

From new works of antiques such as "Emperor Qianlong's Floor Tiles" coasters, official imperial porcelain badges, glazed kiln dragon pattern hooks, and old Beijing city gate refrigerator magnets, to cultural experiences such as ancient ceramic lacquer restoration, cultural relics rubbing, and eight-broken picture collages, this small store with "hidden universe" is constantly exploring new ways to express traditional culture.

"Some foreign artists also shared what Beijing looks like in their eyes. In fact, many friends at home and abroad are very concerned about the cultural landscape of this city." Wang Jing told reporters that while focusing on traditional culture, Qiankun Space also opened up a space for foreign artists to exhibit and sell their works, conveying the charm of Beijing from a cross-cultural perspective.

"There is an artist from Russia, Liuba, who has lived in Beijing for 12 consecutive years. After coming to Beijing, she was attracted by the style of the ancient capital, so she has been using a lot of free time to paint Beijing. Take the Temple of Heaven on the central axis as an example. When we go to the Temple of Heaven, we may want to take a photo with the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests without other people. But in Liuba's pen, what impressed her most was the sunset, the afterglow came over, and many local Beijing grandpas and aunts organized folk bands and were performing. I think as a foreign friend, she not only understands the style of the ancient capital, but also captures the particularly warm cultural landscape in this city." Wang Jing said.

Here, the beauty of the central axis is not only the prosperous scene on the old map, the folk customs recorded in the Beijing hawking map, but also the daily fireworks and relaxation described by foreign artists.

"I think the central axis is the soul of Beijing. We want to find a very localized place with Beijing characteristics, so we came here. Today, I saw many Chinese and foreign tourists who came here specifically to check in. I can feel that this store makes traditional culture and art very fresh and full of vitality." A consumer said.