Cool cultural treasures pop with style

The ice cream pops rolled out by the Sanxingdui Museum in Sichuan province come in two flavors -- "bronze" matcha and "excavation" chocolate. [Photo/Sina Weibo account of Sanxingdui Museum]

Ice pops shaped like local landmarks or historical treasures have gone viral on Chinese social media, as tourist attractions aim to enhance visitors' experience with creative cultural products.

In the Sanxingdui Museum in Sichuan province, ice cream bars in the shape of its iconic "Bronze mask" catch the eye of visitors. The sweet treat comes in two flavors: "bronze" matcha and "excavation" chocolate.

The Temple of Heaven in Beijing debuted ice pop miniatures shaped like the ancient building last year, encouraging tourists to take pictures of the sites.

Chinese tourist sites and cultural institutes have invested heavily in the development of creative cultural products, which is believed to have contributed to the boom in cultural tourism in recent years, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The trendy, unique and creative cultural products like the ice cream have won over many consumers in the younger generations," Zhou Yunqing, a sociology professor at Wuhan University told Xinhua. "It is also a sign of China's growing cultural confidence."