BEIJING — Dongsi, located in Beijing's central Dongcheng district, was noticeably quiet on Jan. 21 during the Lunar New Year holiday. Yet more than 50 people stood in a long line outside one particular store.
The shop, called Hongxing Qianjin, has gained fame on social media for its nostalgic glass-bottled milk and bread. Daoxiangcun, a 130-year-old dessert shop about 40 meters away, was also packed with customers. A local resident surnamed Wang, in his 50s, said, "It was already famous, but more people have been coming since President Xi Jinping visited before the Lunar New Year."
According to local media reports on Jan. 23, a craze for visiting "laozihao" — heritage brands officially certified by authorities — is sweeping China's younger generation. Related hashtags on Douyin, China's version of TikTok, have accumulated over 10 billion views. Wanglaoji, a beverage brand famous for herbal cold tea, generated 960 million yuan (approximately $140 million) in sales within 72 hours of launching its Lunar New Year gift set.
Laozihao represents China's version of "century-old shops," with about 1,500 nationwide. Only businesses with at least 50 years of history and continuous brand heritage that demonstrate traditional and cultural value receive certification. Recently, these brands are enjoying a renaissance by launching new products tailored to younger consumers' tastes. Wu Yutai, a Chinese tea brand, has gained explosive popularity among youth with its green tea ice cream.
While retro products gaining popularity among young consumers mirrors trends in South Korea, China's phenomenon is underpinned by "guochao" — patriotic consumption. This movement began with electronics like Huawei during the U.S.-China trade war under the first Trump administration and has now spread across daily life, including culture and leisure. The film "Erta Reports," released ahead of last September's military parade and topping the box office, is credited with directly targeting this guochao demand.
The Chinese government views laozihao as a key soft-power asset and actively encourages overseas expansion. Of the 2 trillion yuan in total laozihao sales in 2024, approximately 50 billion yuan came from overseas markets.
However, concerns about excessive commercialization are growing. "People's Coffee House," which gained popularity by featuring Mao Zedong's calligraphy, red stars, and Tiananmen Square imagery, serves as a cautionary tale. The business changed its name last year after state media criticized it for exploiting "people's" values for commercial purposes.