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What if the most valuable thing you buy isn't a thing at all?

From pottery studios in Beijing to immersive role-play streets in Kaifeng and film-set adventures in Hengdian, a new wave of consumption is sweeping China – driven by emotion, not ownership.

In this episode of Unboxing China, we explore the rise of the experience economy – a fast-growing, multi-trillion-yuan trend powered by young people choosing memories over materials and meaning over products.

Why are young consumers prioritizing "emotional value"? How are businesses turning time, culture and even nostalgia into sellable experiences? And why does research show experiences bring longer-lasting happiness than material goods?

More than a trend, this is a window into the evolving energy of China's consumer market – where pursuing a better life meets a new model of growth.

05:17

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Unboxing China | The experience economy: When feeling matters more than owning