The National Museum of China’s Phoenix Crown fridge magnets are on display at the ICIF in late May. Photo by Xinhua

During the 21st China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair (ICIF), the Pingshan Pavilion showcased over 200 products from 20 companies, and other pavilions also featured products from Pingshan-based enterprises. Enhanced by smart technologies, these products demonstrate Pingshan’s vibrant cultural industry.

Shenzhen Comix Group Co. exhibited its V’mo Fingerprint Lock series, which includes a backpack, a notebook set, a storage box, and a thermos cup. Yang Jun, manager of the brand marketing department at Comix, said that the backpack features an advanced chip that enables quick unlocking and an attached USB charging port offers convenient device charging.

The V’mo Fingerprint Lock technology holds national patents, and the backpack won the 2025 iF Design Award along with several prestigious domestic design honors.

V’mo Fingerprint Lock Backpack. Photo from Shenzhen Comix Group Co.

Another highlight was the National Museum of China’s Phoenix Crown fridge magnet, which is based on the crown of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Empress Xiaoduan, a national treasure. This souvenir became an unexpected cultural sensation last year, sparking long queues at the museum’s pavilion during this year’s ICIF.

The fridge magnet is a collaboration between the museum and Pingshan-based Shenzhen Vistarts Crafts Co. Ltd. It faithfully reproduces the crown’s exquisite ruby, sapphire, and pearl appearance and also features augmented reality (AR) functionality.

By scanning a code on the package, users see a virtual phoenix crown appear on their phone screen. When they point their phone camera at their face, the app overlays the crown onto the user’s image in real time.

The National Museum of China’s Phoenix Crown fridge magnets. Photo from Shenzhen Economic Daily

Vistarts Crafts specializes in design and manufacturing, with portions of production completed by robotic arms. In recent years, the company has integrated AR technology into its products to create more interactive souvenirs.

Xia Zhe, director of Vistarts Crafts’ cultural and creative gifts division, shared that they have also collaborated with the Hebei Museum to produce a fridge magnet inspired by the Changxin Palace Lamp. Equipped with a light sensor, the fridge magnet automatically emits a warm yellow glow when someone approaches.

Xia emphasized that in the digital era, cultural products should go beyond merely replicating the appearances of relics or artifacts. By integrating modern technologies, the cultural significance behind these relics can be brought to the forefront. This approach transforms the essence of artifacts into lifestyle-friendly items, meeting the growing demand for trendy, culturally-connected products.