Forbidden City shows broader shift in millennials' spending

Beijing

FOR 600 years China's emperors brought the finest porcelain vases and cups from the imperial kilns to Beijing's Forbidden City, stamped with the royal seal. Now you can order one with your own name baked into it for less than US$20.

It's part of an upgrade transforming China's galleries, museums and attractions as a rising tide of middle-class millennials seek to differentiate themselves from the mass-produced economy by spending more on culture, experiences and individual tastes.

The tens of thousa…