During our recent visit to Moganshan, we had the opportunity to interview Shen Ji, a returnee with a master’s degree from the University of Manchester in the UK, who has embarked on an entrepreneurial journey creating refrigerator magnets. Shen Ji, who previously held a senior position at an e-commerce company in Hangzhou, shared her exciting experience in the burgeoning local souvenir market, saying, “From March to October this year, we’ve sold over 6,000 pieces. Business has been particularly good, and now we’re preparing for next year’s refrigerator magnets.”
Despite her stable family homestay business, Shen Ji is driven by a greater ambition than simply continuing her family’s legacy. “You see, I have this deep fascination with refrigerator magnets. Whenever I travel, I have to buy one as a souvenir or else the trip doesn’t feel complete!” her mother, Zhu Yingwei, explained, noting that their home freezer is now covered with various magnets from different places.
Refrigerator magnets have recently become popular as travel souvenirs, appreciated for their compact design, regional cultural significance, and reasonable prices. However, Shen Ji noted that her mother was initially hesitant about her decision to leave her job and pursue this venture. “My mom urged me not to quit and to find a secure job instead,” Shen Ji recalled. “But I believe that now is the perfect moment to develop cultural and creative products in Moganshan. We can feel the government’s commitment to promoting cultural tourism here, and with the surge in the homestay industry, there’s a huge demand for fresh cultural products. Refrigerator magnets are a key example of this integration.”
Shen Ji recognizes that the refrigerator magnet market is an emerging “blue ocean” within the cultural tourism industry. “My confidence stems from being a refrigerator magnet enthusiast myself,” she said with a smile. During her time studying in the UK, she collected magnets from over 100 different countries. With few competitors producing magnets in Moganshan, she is sure that she can create designs that resonate with consumers. “Living here gives me a deep understanding of the local culture,” she added.
Moganshan’s picturesque scenery has inspired her designs. Known as one of China’s top summer retreats, it has a wealth of themes to explore, from ‘Yangjia Le’ to internationally recognized outdoor events. “I want to capitalize on this moment to create more unique refrigerator magnets that can proudly represent my hometown’s culture,” Shen Ji expressed.
Every week, the bespectacled Shen Ji, who exudes an intellectual vibe, sits down with her husband at a local café, where they brainstorm ideas while enjoying coffee—a habit they’ve kept since their days in the UK. “I actually got into collecting magnets because of my husband,” she admitted. “He started collecting everything from stamps to bottle caps, and eventually, refrigerator magnets came into the mix.” They had discussed launching local magnets back in 2018, but their careers and family opinions held them back until now.
“Collection is an intimate obsession—only genuine passion can drive someone to create truly great products,” she shared. Shen Ji articulated her vision clearly to her husband, who then illustrated the ideas, which they refined together. In just four months of preparation, they launched seven distinctive models inspired by Moganshan, although she modestly remarked, “I’ve sold only 3,200 pieces so far—there’s still plenty of work ahead!”
In her modest studio, neatly packaged magnets catch the eye, resembling the covers of storybooks. Pointing to a metal magnet named “Just Around the Corner,” she explained, “Many cyclists frequent Moganshan, and when they tire out, leaders often encourage them with the phrase, ‘Just around the corner, and you’re there!’ This phrase provides boundless hope, and I wanted to capture that.” This design has become her most popular product, with the first batch of 1,000 selling out quickly.
Shen Ji offers three tiers of prices for her products, ranging from $3 to $5, allowing consumers plenty of options. She sees refrigerator magnets not merely as merchandise but as representations of local culture. “Carrying a magnet home is like bringing a piece of ‘poetry and distance’ back.”
To adapt to local demand, she established an online store in response to tourists who might miss out on purchasing magnets while visiting Moganshan. “Orders often come in on Mondays and Tuesdays when visitors realize they haven’t bought anything over the weekend. They’ll look to the online store to fill that gap,” she explained.
Shen Ji is constantly contemplating how to weave the cultural history of Deqing into her products, aiming to elicit a smile upon purchase. “I want my products to be visually appealing at first glance while revealing deeper stories upon closer inspection,” she emphasized.
For Shen Ji, cultural products represent more than just goods; they embody the essence of local culture. Deqing boasts notable mountains, wetlands, and ancient towns, alongside unique cultural elements like poetry, porcelain, bridges, tea, dance, silk, and pearls. “I plan to integrate Deqing’s cultural icons into contemporary designs to launch a series of cultural souvenirs, essentially expanding the reach of Deqing’s creative products,” she said. Her ultimate goal is to establish a “museum of refrigerator magnets,” a collection of memories reflecting the journeys and experiences of travelers.
Since returning to China in 2018, she has been intent on pursuing this dream, and after six years, she finally took the plunge into entrepreneurship, marking not just the beginning of a new business but also a personal challenge for herself.