A 30-minute drive from downtown in the capital transports you to a world that feels decades ahead.
The southern Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, also known as Beijing E-Town, has evolved into a home for a cutting-edge robot mall, car factory and an "AI new-quality community" — a community that has been transformed by advanced AI to improve the quality of life.
All of them are now attracting curious, tech-savvy visitors eager to experience a new way of life shaped by technology-driven tourism.
Enter the Robot Mall showroom, and you're greeted not by a receptionist, but by a robot resembling the Monkey King, wielding its golden staff.
"It actively interacts with people," says Meng Yanpei, who is in charge of commercial operations at the mall.
When someone approaches, this "monkey" turns and performs, responding in real time to sensors that detect visitors.
With 4,000 square meters across four floors, there are over 150 robotic products from more than 70 manufacturers nationwide on display, ranging from dancing robot dogs and robots of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Li Bai that recite his verses, to medical robots and robotic household helpers that fold laundry.
"We want to show people that robots aren't distant from our lives," Meng explains.
With a 4S concept mirroring automotive dealerships, which covers sales, spare parts, after-sales service, and surveys for feedback, the showroom has achieved tens of millions of yuan in sales since opening in August 2025, with similar amounts pending.
The "Future Interaction Zone" has proved a particular hit with visitors, Meng says, with 90 percent of its equipment being hands-on.
Visitors can wear lightweight head sensors and control race cars with their eyes; the more concentrated their gaze, the faster the cars travel.
Chess-playing robots also attract long queues. A mechanical arm picks up and moves the pieces, challenging visitors across difficulty levels ranging from beginner to master. When children win at the entry level, the screen bursts into virtual fireworks.
Robotic hands with five independently moving fingers allow visitors to experience firsthand how robots can manipulate objects with human-like precision.
The first floor is for observation. Visitors watch robots fold laundry, make coffee complete with a portrait in the foam, dance in cheerleader squads, swim as robotic fish, operate as mechanical insects, sort packages, and run unmanned pharmacies.
Medical exhibits show dental implant robots, exoskeletons, and cardiac surgery assistants.
"Our weekend reservation slots sell out within about five minutes of release," Meng says. Weekends see 10 sessions daily, each accommodating 30-40 people.
For the best experience, Meng recommends visiting the robot coffee machine to order a latte with your face in the foam, and the robot performance area which showcases robots that appeared on China Central Television's Spring Festival Gala.
Those wanting more can check out the adjacent robot restaurant, currently upgrading to version 2.0.
"Everything from greeting and taking orders to cooking, bartending, and clearing tables will be handled by robots," Meng says.
