Young Diners in Beijing “Time Travel” to Ancient China Through New Theme Restaurant

A new theme restaurant in Beijing is giving young people a chance to “time travel” back to ancient China. For a few hours, diners can enjoy music, clothing, and food inspired by China’s old traditions. This unique experience has become very popular among young customers.

At the restaurant, women dressed in long wigs and beautiful traditional clothes walk around a stone courtyard. They take pictures under a pavilion while soft music from a Chinese zither plays in the background. The calm setting makes visitors feel like they have stepped into the past.

The restaurant offers an eight-course meal along with traditional clothing services. Before eating, customers select outfits from a room filled with hanfu, which means Han-style clothing. These clothes come with headpieces, jewelry, and other accessories to complete the ancient look.

The new restaurant opened at a time when China’s economy is struggling with slow spending. However, many young people are still willing to pay for experiences that bring them joy. This trend is called “emotional consumption” in China. It means buying things not just for use, but for comfort, fun, or personal satisfaction.

Reports say that people born after the 1990s often buy things to make themselves happy. This includes toys like the popular Labubu dolls, which sell out very fast. China’s commerce minister has even said that such new buying trends may help support the country’s economy.

Visitors to the restaurant say the experience is worth the money. Businessman Carey Zhuang told AFP that he spent about 1,000 yuan to dress up as a character from the famous Chinese story Dream of the Red Chamber. The restaurant takes inspiration from this classic novel to create its theme.

With young people looking for ways to escape stress and enjoy special moments, this “time travel” restaurant has quickly become a favorite. It shows how experiences, not just products, are shaping modern consumer habits in China.