Creative products

Creative cultural products were another focus of Shanxi's exhibition. Naoteng Cultural Communication, based in the city of Datong, for instance, brought its Foxiaoban series of toys to this year's CIIE.

According to Liu Wen, an executive in charge of the company's design and development, the Foxiaoban toys draw inspiration from the famed Yungang Grottoes in Datong.

In the Yungang Grottoes, there are a great number of smiling Buddha statues. "During research tours of the Yungang Grottoes, our design team members noticed this phenomenon," Liu said. "We immediately recognized this is the most remarkable cultural symbol of the Yungang Grottoes, which builds a connection between spiritual and worldly lives."

Liu noted that the Buddha's smiles, in different ways, reflected the aspiration for peace and well-being from the ancient artists who created the Buddhist art treasure trove more than 1,500 years ago.

"As a result of the research tours, we created the Foxiaoban toys with 12 smiles," Liu said. "Although modern elements have been added to the smiling expressions to cater to the aesthetics of modern people, especially the youth, the aspiration for peace and well-being remains the same. This is why the products are popular among customers."

He Dong, a visitor from Shanghai, bought a whole set of the Foxiaoban toys at the CIIE. "Foxiaoban has been a hit on the internet since its launch," He said. "But it was a surprise when I saw so many varieties of the toys on display at the Shanxi pavilion."

Liu said this was the debut of Foxiaoban toys at the CIIE. "We hope to use the CIIE platform to promote Foxiaoban to the whole world, making our products and Shanxi's unique culture known to more people," she said.

Close to the Foxiaoban booth was an exhibition of toys inspired by statues in Yuhuang Temple in Jincheng city — statues of deities governing the 28 constellations. The temple has seen a surge in popularity recently as it was featured in the hit computer game Black Myth: Wukong.

According to ancient Chinese astrology, the universe is composed of 28 constellations governed by various deities. As the deities are always accompanied by a certain animal, they are named after the animal plus one element. The elements are: sun, moon, metal, wood, water, fire and earth. For instance, Kangjinlong — the prototype of a much loved figure in the game — literally means "Soaring Metal Dragon".

"The constellation deities are commonly seen in many sites of the Taoist religion," said Dong Yueling, general manager of Shanxi Gifts and Cultural Creativity, the developer of the toys. "But the ones in Jincheng's Yuhuang Temple have unique historical and aesthetic values."

He explained that all the colored statues of constellation deities there were created by famous Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) sculptor Liu Yuan. "They are well preserved and feature vivid facial and emotional expressions you can hardly find elsewhere."

The toys on display at this edition of the CIIE were actually miniatures of the 28 deities in Yuhuang Temple.

Dong said the toys were designed and produced after accurate digital surveys of the statues. "This is a process similar to the digital recovery of historical relics," he explained.

He said he hopes digital technologies can bring Shanxi's ancient cultural heritage to the lives of more young people, arousing their enthusiasm for protecting and inheriting the brilliant culture of China.

There were a number of shows based on Shanxi's intangible cultural heritage staged during this edition of the CIIE. These included puppet shows performed by artists from the city of Xiaoyi, as well as dances inspired by Shanxi's landmark historical relics such as the painted maiden statues in Taiyuan's Jinci Temple.

There were also cosplay shows featuring historical and legendary figures like Guan Yu, the Monkey King and Hua Mulan.

Latest innovations

In addition to culture, Shanxi was exhibiting its latest technological innovations at this CIIE, showing a modern facet of the province.

The exhibition booth of Taiyuan-based Jinbo Biopharmaceutical drew a steady flow of visitors during the six-day CIIE. These included members of the public attracted to its variety of skincare products and professional visitors showing interest in its cutting-edge products that can be used in various scenarios.

Su Yahua, an executive responsible for the company's exhibition, was busy introducing the company's product portfolio and core technologies to visitors.

She said Jinbo's cutting-edge product is recombinant human type III collagen. The product is at a globally advanced level and can be used in various sectors ranging from surgery, gynecology and dermatology to skin care.

At the stand, a buyer showed great interest in Jinbo's medical products. After being given detailed technological data, he expressed an intention to cooperate.

Close to Jinbo was the exhibition booth of Nanolattix, another Taiyuan-based biotechnology company. The company presented a number of cutting-edge advancements in multiple fields, generating significant interest from overseas and domestic buyers.

According to Ye Peng, a senior executive of the company, Nanolattix produces antibody, radiopharmaceutical and oncology therapeutic drugs, plant-extracted skin care products, and healthy food. Its output value reached 3 billion yuan ($422 million) in 2024.

The company exhibited a diverse range of products at this edition of the CIIE, demonstrating its capacity to develop a comprehensive industry chain across sectors.

Zhang Qi contributed to this story.