In Qingdao our neighbourhood mall, a consumerist temple spanning eight glitzy floors, had a yellow teddy bear as its totem. Effigies of this cuddly golden idol were displayed in all shapes and sizes in almost every shop window, restaurant, elevator and restroom, from the odorous basement to the tackily terraced roof.

The reason for this was unclear. Perhaps it was part of some outlandish, ironic voodoo that aimed to separate shoppers from their hard-earned digital cash. For a nation wherein spiritual famine is soothed by all manners of material excess, it doesn’t take much. Everyone’s always looking to whip out their QR codes and snuggle up to some good ol’ smartphone retail therapy, no questions asked.