Shopping — What to Buy

There are many exotic and unusual things to buy in China which make wonderful souvenirs and gifts for relatives and friends back home. The following is a sample of the amazing range of goods available.

Silk: Chinese silk is famous all over the world for its magnificent quality, color and variety. Silk products from Hangzhou, Sichuan, Suzhou and Dandong are particularly good.

Tea: There are hundreds of varieties of Chinese tea. They can be classified into five categories - green tea, black tea, brick tea, scented tea, and oolong tea.

Maybe your children will be interested in this kind of traditional Chinese costume.The top ten teas in China are as follows; any of them would make a wonderful gift for your friends.

* Longjing produced near West Lake, Hangzhou, Zhejiang
* Biluochun from Wu County in Jiangsu
* Huangshan Maofeng from Mt. Huangshan in Anhui
* Junshan Silver Needle from Qingluo Island on Dongting Lake
* Qimen Black Tea from Qimen County in Anhui
* Liuan Guapian from Liuan County in Anhui
* Xinyang Maojian from Xinyang in Henan
* Duyun Maojian from Duyun Mountain in Guizhou
* Wuyi Rock Tea from Wuyi Mountain in Fujian
* Tieguanyin from Anxi County in Fujian

Please refer to Chinese tea, How to select excellent tea for more information.

Wines and Spirits: Alcoholic drinks, in ancient China, were regarded as sacred and were used only in sacrifices. Today, however, wines and spirits are becoming popular as accompaniments to Chinese food.

Chinese medicine herbs enjoy a good reputation in the world.The following wines and spirits have won many international awards:

* Yanghe Daqu and Shuanggou Daqu from Jiangsu
* Gujing Tribute Liquor from Anhui
* Maotai and Dong Liquor from Guizhou
* Wuliangye, Jiannanchun and Luzhou Laojiao from Sichuan
* Fenjiu Liquor from Shanxi

Please refer to Chinese Wines and Spirits for further information.

Antiques: If you’re an antique enthusiast, China is the place for you! Fascinating antique and curio shops and market stalls are to be found in most cities and country towns.Care is needed, however, when buying expensive items to ensure, for example, that the item carries the official red seal of the shop and the sale documents are in order. Chinese law forbids the export of antiques dated earlier than 1795.

Chinese Medicinal Materials: Traditional Chinese Medicine is an integral part of Chinese life and culture. With its unique diagnostic methods, systematic approach, abundant historical literature and materials, Traditional Chinese Medicine has found many adherents in Western countries. The use of traditional herbs and potions lies at the core of Chinese medicine. Mostly made from animal and plant materials, these medicines have proved effective for treating a wide range of illnesses and disorders. Tonics based on herbs are also popular. Examples of the materials used in the preparation of medicines and tonics are ginseng, antler, rhubarb horse-tails, bezoars, angelica, Tianqi, licorice root, apricot kernel and the root of balloon flower. Look at these embroidery tigers! Do you want to get one?

In recent years, for the sake of protecting endangered animals, the preparation of medicinal materials from rare animals, such as musk, antler, leopard and tiger bone, rhinoceros horn and elephant skin, has been restricted. Such medicines cannot be exported from China; however, tourists can export Chinese herbs with a total value of less than 300 RMB (per person).

Please refer to Traditional Chinese Medicine for further information.

Arts and Crafts

Arts and crafts products make ideal souvenirs and gifts. These include bronze ware, cloisonne, folk toys, jade, kites, lacquer wares, paper-cutting, porcelain, pottery, seal, prints and scrolls, silk, embroidery and printed and dyed fabrics. Cloisonn�Ś made in Beijing, porcelain made in Jingdezhen in Jiangxi, embroidery from Suzhou, Hunan, Guangdong and Sichhuan, Tang tri-color pottery horses and camels, and batik from Guizhou and Yunnan are all highly recommended.

The “four treasures of study” - namely writing brush, ink stick, ink slab, paper - play an important part in Chinese culture. You may want a set for your own study or to give as a unique gift to your friends. The best writing materials are said to be Xuan paper and Hui ink stick from Anhui, Duan ink slab from Guangdong and Hu writing brush from Zhejiang.

Shopping — Where to Buy

Friendship Stores

In China, friendship stores were originally set up by the government to provide services to foreign visitors. Now, most are like any modern department store with a variety of goods including silk; jewelry made from gold, silver, pearl and jade; embroidered tablecloths and blouses; paintings, porcelain, pottery and handicrafts. Prices are clearly marked on the merchandise. Prices may be slightly higher than at other Chinese stores but the goods are of higher quality and some items are unavailable elsewhere. Government stores have a reputation for honesty. Bargaining is acceptable.

Department Stores

Most department stores are run by the state with some being run by individual or joint venture. The merchandise available in Chinese department stores is similar what you would expect to find in department stores anywhere in the world. Bargaining is seldom acceptable. Look for sales.

Factories

Every arts and crafts factory has a showroom where visitors can buy what is made there. Marked prices may be more expensive than similar items elsewhere but deep discounts of 40 to 50% are common.

Markets
Markets are an ideal place to search for inexpensive items. Markets with many similar shops or stalls have the cheapest prices and it is possible to sometimes find merchandise of good to very good quality. You will need to be extremely careful but those name brand items just might be genuine. They could be seconds or factory overruns. Check everything carefully. The prices are flexible and you should practise your bargaining skill there.

Hotel stores

Most luxury hotels have their own shopping mall where various souvenirs and daily articles offered. Stores in these hotels are not cheap but you can find some very fine quality clothing, fabrics, and antiques there.

Antiques

Antique stores run by the government are the most reliable but you can forget bargains for genuine antiques. The Chinese are very knowledgeable about their cultural heritage and it’s value.

* Do not buy any antiques that date before 1795 as they cannot be legally exported.
* Make sure that the antiques you bought carry a red wax seal indicating that it is authentic and is able to be exported from China.
* Keep all purchase receipts, especially that of Chinese medicine herbs, antiques, gold and silver articles, jade ware and etc. You may be asked to produce these by customs when leaving China.
* Do not buy those articles made form rare wild animals. All the contraband articles will be confiscate without compensation.

Note: In China, shops are open every day of the week:

8.30 am- 8 pm. (summer)
9 am - 7 pm (winter)

Shopping — Bargaining

Shrewd bargaining can help you fully enjoy your shopping in China.Bargaining is normally acceptable in most of the shops. Sometimes, bargaining is more enjoyable than the purchase itself. If you are new to bargaining, then follow me!

Prior Preparation

When you prepare to buy an article, you’d better check the price in different shops to get a general idea about the price.

Bargaining Practice

Now remember to relax and enjoy the process, but keep some skills in mind:

Offer half of the asking price and work from there

Try to find some flaws on the article as a excuse of depreciation

Are you dazzled by these articles? The politic venders always try their best to attract your attention.Be stubborn and persistent when bargaining, but keep smiling

Walk away if you find the price unacceptable, you can always come back later.

If the shopman detains you, it may mean he is close to accepting your offer, and with a little more discussion will accept.

Once the shopkeeper accepts your price, do not try to beat him down again since it would be unfair. After all, the shopkeeper has agreed to the price you have proposed.

End Bargain

It is really enjoyable to buy at a price you are satisfied with, but make sure that the article you take is the one you want since there are some dishonest shop keepers who will replace the purchased products with shoddy ones.
Many shopkeepers use a calculator during bargaining, as these can help overcome the language barrier.

Shopping — Points for Attention

* Make sure that the antiques you bought carry a wax seal indicating that it is authentic and is able to be exported from ChinaAlways verify the date of antiques before you purchase them. Antiques dated before 1795 cannot legally be exported.
* Make sure that the antiques you buy carry a wax seal indicating that they are authentic and can be exported from China.
* Keep all purchase receipts, especially those of Chinese medicinal herbs, antiques, gold and silver articles, jade ware and etc. You will be asked to produce them by customs when leaving China.
* Articles made from rare wild animals are contraband and will be confiscated by customs without compensation.

Shopping for Souvenirs

Shopping in China is getting more convenient. For those who are staying in the country for more than just a few days, they may need their choice brands of daily necessities which can be found in most of the large department stores and shopping malls which are springing up in the country. Western retail companies have established outlets in major cities in China which carry both domestic and imported goods.
For those who want to shop for souvenirs to take home, they can look around, apart from large department stores and shopping malls, in some of the open markets such as the Xiushui Street and Panjiayuan Antique Market in Beijing. Unlike large department stores where the prices are fixed, these places are where you can and you must bargain. Your local tour guides or hosts are the best help when you go to these places. They will prove essential in finding the real stuff and bringing the prices down!