Articles
Deep dives into the designer toys, cultural IPs, and experiences shaping China's living culture.
Everything on Anchsia in one place, newest first. Discover IPs covers the designer toys and blind boxes you can collect today. Culture goes beneath the surface — the mythology, history and craft behind each IP. China Travel turns passion into plans: where to see crafts, how to spend 10 days, and what to bring home. Explore by topic below, or just dive in.
Want to buy Pop Mart blind boxes in China as a foreigner? Here's everything you need — stores, WeChat mini-program, prices, secret/guarantee rules, how to ship home, and how to avoid fakes.
Everything a foreign collector needs to buy Pop Mart in China: flagship stores in Shanghai and Beijing, the WeChat mini-program, secret/hidden figures, anti-counterfeit verification, and how tax refunds work when you fly home.
China's designer toy market is one of the world's fastest-growing — from 3% to 18% of global share. Market size, head brands, the manufacturing chain, exports, and how China differs from Japan and the US.
Chinese designer toys went from niche art studio releases to the world's fastest-growing collectible category. This definitive guide explains what they are, the brands that define them, the design styles, and why the world is collecting them.
LABUBU, HIRONO, SKULLPANDA, Mulan, Chang'e, Guan Yu — half of collecting culture comes down to saying names right. This playful pinyin primer shows you exactly how to pronounce the iconic Chinese IP names you keep stumbling over.
A traveler's guide to China's biggest festivals — Lunar New Year, Lantern, Qingming, Dragon Boat, Mid-Autumn, and National Day — with dates, customs, how modern China celebrates, and a full 2027 public-holiday calendar.
A collector's roadmap through 3,000 years of Chinese clothing — from Han quju and Tang ruqun to Song beizi, Ming mamianqun, Qing banner dress, and the 1920s qipao. See the silhouettes, the cities, the museums.
Hanfu and kimono share a Chinese root — but diverged into radically different silhouettes. Compare crossed collars vs. straight seams, the Tang influence on Japan, and how each is being revived today.
Hirono is Pop Mart's most emotionally honest IP — a melancholy little boy by artist Lang, born from loneliness, that became a Gen-Z comfort icon. Series guide, the emotional design, and why collectors feel 'seen'.
China holds 44 UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritage elements. Here are 8 living ones — guqin, Kunqu opera, calligraphy, paper-cut, shadow puppetry, porcelain, Suzhou embroidery — and exactly where to experience them in person.
LABUBU by Kasing Lung went from a limited Nordic-inspired picture book to the world's hottest designer toy — the IP that made Pop Mart global. Here's the full story, the blind box series, and why collectors pay thousands.
An IP pilgrimage in China is the geek travel trend of the decade — blind-box flagship stores, hanfu costume experiences, creative-district museums and IP temples. Here's your ultimate itinerary for a pop-culture pilgrimage through China.
The mamianqun horse-face skirt is Ming dynasty hanfu's global breakout star — a 600-year-old pleated wrap skirt that went viral. Learn its real history, the 2022 Dior controversy, and how to wear it today.
SKULLPANDA by Chinese artist Xiong Miao is Pop Mart's darkest, most artist-driven IP — a gothic-cyberpunk alter ego about freedom and identity. Series guide, the art-vs-commerce tension, and why collectors pay premiums.
Song dynasty hanfu is the quiet, scholarly cousin of Tang style — narrow sleeves, long layered skirts, and muted colors. Here's the history, the iconic beizi silhouette, and how the revival is bringing 800-year-old elegance back.
The complete Xi'an hanfu experience guide: where to rent Tang-dynasty robes, what makeup and photography cost, the best Grand Tang Everbright City photo spots, and how to plan a full day in China's hanfu capital.
Qipao and cheongsam are the same dress — and neither is hanfu. Here's the real history behind China's three most-loved traditional garments, explained simply.
Tang dynasty hanfu is China's boldest, most photogenic traditional style. Here's the history, the iconic qixiong ruqun silhouette, how to choose your piece, and where to experience it in Xi'an.
Everything you need to spot a real silk qipao vs a polyester fake — fabric, momme weight, fit, craftsmanship, price ranges, and where to buy. A practical guide for first-time buyers.
A realistic 10-day China itinerary built for culture-first travelers — Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai, with the museums, crafts, old towns and street life most guides skip.
The best things to buy in China aren't the refrigerator magnets. From designer toys to intangible-heritage crafts to IP merchandise, here's the 2026 China shopping haul that collectors and culture-lovers actually care about.
Real Chinese history is full of figures who became gods, heroes, and global brands. Here's how Guan Yu, Mulan and Chang'e turned 1,500-year-old stories into living IPs — and what you're actually looking at when you see them.
Every monster you fight in Black Myth: Wukong and every god you meet in Ne Zha came from an ancient storybook. Here's the real mythology behind China's biggest IPs — explained for a Western audience.
From a niche subculture to a multi-billion-dollar industry, Hanfu — traditional Chinese clothing — has become China's most visible cultural trend. Here's the story, the numbers, and where to actually see it in person.
Skip the souvenir shops. In these Chinese towns, 'intangible cultural heritage' isn't a museum exhibit — it's artisans working in live workshops where you can watch, learn, and even make the craft yourself.
It's not a feeling — it's measurable. BCG's global survey found 74% of overseas consumers have heard of Chinese IPs, 91% know Chinese designer toys, and 70% would buy them. Here's the hard data on why Ne Zha 2 and Pop Mart's Labubu took over the world — and what it means for collectors and travelers.
Pop Mart is only the headline — China's designer toy scene is far bigger. Meet 10 brands (52TOYS, FINDING UNICORN, TOP TOY, Hi Toy, and more) that deserve a spot on your radar before they hit global mainstream.
New to Chinese designer toys? Here's your step-by-step beginner's guide — from choosing your first IP and setting a budget, to buying authentic and building a collection you'll actually love.
Fake Labubu and counterfeit Pop Mart figures are everywhere. Use this 90-second collector's checklist — nine teeth, QR verification, foot stamp, weight, and more — to tell real from fake before you buy.
Labubu, SKULLPANDA, and Hirono are Pop Mart's hottest IPs — but they're completely different experiences. Compare designers, aesthetics, prices, rarity, and resale value to find your perfect match.
Secret (hidden) figures are the jackpot of Pop Mart blind boxes — odds as low as 1 in 720, resale prices 5–50x retail. Here's how rarity works, what's actually worth chasing, and where the smart money goes.
Blind boxes aren't toys — they're carefully engineered psychological machines. Dopamine spikes, variable rewards, near-misses, and FOMO. Here's exactly what's happening in your brain — and how to collect smart instead of getting played.
Pop Mart went from a small Beijing toy store in 2010 to a $46.1 billion global phenomenon. Here's everything you need to know about China's designer toy empire — its history, its biggest IPs, how blind boxes work, and where to buy.