The past is prologue
By rediscovering meaningful retro artifacts from the past, young people are reconnecting with emotional bonds and memories.
"Many of them didn't experience these things firsthand, but still find them oddly familiar — perhaps through items passed down from older siblings or family members," Zhu said. "These objects feel both intimate and nostalgic, yet bring a sense of novelty and excitement."
That same feeling of warmth brought by vintage items can be found at Liu Feng's Peter Pan Old Toys & Snacks Portal. Tucked away in Beijing's 798 Art District, the store feels like a "time tunnel", filled with enamel mugs, wind-up tin frogs, and Dragon Ball comics that invite customers to revisit the past.
In 2017, Liu left his job as an internet product manager to open the store. Since then, he has collected more than 200 types of childhood snacks, 100 retro toys, and 50 old-school household goods.
The most touching scenes occur when parents bring their children and introduce them to classic toys like Tetris consoles and Hua Rong Dao puzzles.
"These are way more fun than mobile phones," Liu often hears them say. The children are just as excited. "Amid the laughter, a cultural exchange and emotional bond between generations quietly takes shape," Liu said.
