Ningbo toy maker transforms history into fun

Chinese hotpot playset made by Classic Toys (Ningbo) Co. [Photo/Yongpai app]

A Ningbo-based toy maker is turning traditional Chinese culture into globally popular playsets, with annual sales surpassing $6.5 million and products now sold in more than 60 countries.

Sun Yiren, CEO of Classic Toys (Ningbo) Co, grew up studying and working abroad in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, where she noticed Chinese culture fascinated her peers.

"For children, toys are like a smaller version of the world," Sun said. "Through play, they begin to understand how things around them work."

Drawing on this idea, she decided to transform her family's factory from producing Western-style toy sets to creating culturally rooted designs.

One of the company's most talked-about products is a miniature hotpot playset inspired by a historical artifact from Beijing's Palace Museum. Sun's team carefully scaled down the design, preserving intricate details of imperial life and traditional aesthetics.

"We can't just invent details," she said. "Everything has to be based on real cultural references."

The approach is paying off. The Palace Museum-inspired series has achieved strong overseas sales, with recent orders from the US, the UK, Japan, and Vietnam. Last year, Sun also introduced products incorporating Ningbo's cultural landmarks, which drew attention at international events like the Asia Cultural Festival in Bulgaria.

She is now expanding into broader Chinese cultural themes, from ancient architecture to classic literature, aiming to share the stories and aesthetics of China — and Ningbo in particular — with a global audience.