Compared with its lackluster entertainment, shopping in Jiayuguan is more exciting. There are a variety of goods that can be purchased, most are very popular with the Chinese and, although not exceptional, are worth looking into. Best of the specialties include the “self-illuminating” cup, rubbings of Wei & Jin tomb murals, stone carvings and assorted Carpets.
The most famous of specialties here is the “Self-Illuminating” Cup (Yeguan bei) that is made of jade from the nearby Qilianshan Mountain. These translucent cups, immortalised in thousands of Chinese poems, are so named because when they are filled with wine and penetrated by the ghostly rays of the moon, it shines with luxuriant brightness.
The area around the city of Jiayuguan is filled with tombs from both the Wei (386-556 AD)and the Jin (265-420 AD)Dynasties, and many of these are home to numbers of colourful and vivid murals (Weijin bihua muhua tuopian). There is now a thriving trade in copies, usually Rubbings, of these original cultural pieces, and this is a good way to get some insight into those bygone days.
For those with interests in Chinese calligraphy, the Jiayu Inkstones (Jiayu shiyan) have a history of over 1,700 years. As with the “self-illuminating” cup, the inkstones are carved from stone taken from the nearby mountains. The stones normally have strips of different colours, from a range including blues, greens, reds and yellows.
This area is a stronghold on the new tourist Silk Road, and as such there are no lack of stores selling these handicrafts and more, at allegedly knock off prices. Since not always genuine, it is probably best to head to the more established stores, such as the state owned Jiayuguan Handicraft Shop on 8 Shibei lu.
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