Shopping in China

China has a wonderful variety of raw materials due to its vast territory and various climates. The tumultuous history of Chinese civilization has left behind a rich cultural heritage, which can be found in traditional arts and crafts. Shopping is a major activity for tourists who come to China. High up on their shopping lists are silk products, embroidery, Chinese calligraphy and paintings, Chinese medicine, cloisonne enamel, ceramics, carvings, woven arts and crafts, lacquer ware, Chinese fans, the four treasures of the study, tea, liquor, folk arts and crafts, and local products.

1.Silk. China is known as the home of Silk. Silkworms are raised in many places, such as Jiangsu, Guangdong, Hunan, and Sichuan. Hangzhou is the most famous city in China for silk products in great variety, including silk, satin, damask, and brocades.

2.Embroidery. The four most famous types of embroidery in China are embroideries from Jiangsu, Hunan, Guangdong, and Sichuan provinces. The most famous styles of brocade are yunjin from Nanjing, songjin from Suzhou, and shujin from Sichuan. There are other well known styles of brocade made by minority peoples, such as Zhuang, Dai Li, Dong, and Tujia.

3.Chinese calligraphy and paintings. Chinese calligraphy and paintings form a cross-section of the traditional Chinese culture. High-grade calligraphy and paintings are the best souvenirs for foreign travelers. Most works are done on a kind of paper known as xuan. There are also other forms of art, such as shell paintings from Dalian, Qingdao, Beihai, Guangdong, and Fujian; bark paste-ups from Jilin; soft-wood paintings from Fuzhou; paintings on bamboo curtains from Sichuan; straw patchwork from Guangdong and Heilongjiang and feather paste-ups from Shenyang and Shandong.

4.Ceramics. Ceramics is one of the many traditional Chinese handicrafts. The best pottery-making sites in China are Yixing in Jiangsu Province, Shiwan in Guangdong Province, and Luoyang in Henan Province. Luoyang's tri-colored glazed pottery is world famous. It uses red, green and white colors to imitate the tri-colored glazed pottery popular in the Tang Dynasty. Yixing mainly produces pottery for daily use. Pottery from Shiwan is simple and unsophisticated, often used to make containers in the shape of human figures.

Other choices for souvenirs areTraditional Chinese medicine, Cloisonne enamel,Four treasures of the study,Lacquer ware,Chinese fans,Tea,Liquor,Carvings, rugs silk umbrellas, New Year's paintings papercuts, kites, traditional and ethnic clothes, and traditional toys. Famous local products include candied fruits from Beijing, raisins from Xinjiang, cashmere and camel hair products from inner Mongolia, caracul from Qinghai, sheepskin from Ningxia, and fur from Jilin.

To help tourists buy what they want, many local travel agencies have accredited high-quality shopping centers or department stores as "fixed" or "reliable." All shopping centers or department stores recommended in this brochure have been approved by the appropriate government agencies. The tourist can also change money in medium and large-sized stores, which also offer other services such as mail-order, consignment, and customs applications for customers. These centers will offer the best services and goods at fair prices.