Bird Island on Qinghai Lake is where tens of thousands of birds of different species lay eggs every year.
After large numbers of young birds have hatched, the remaining eggs are pushed out of the nest. These bandoned eggs?turn out to be excellent materials for egg-painting because of their thick, tough shells.
Mainly using the techniques of traditional Chinese painting adapted to a sphere, the eggs are decorated with subjects such as traditional Chinese opera masks, the twelve animals of Chinese Horoscope, children at play, as well as flowers leaves and small insects.
The more precious eggs come with a well-decorated box for either display or collection. The eggs may also be bound with colorful silk threads and fringed with tassels to make beautiful wall decorations.
Tibetan Knives
The Tibetan knife is worn at the waist, and its sharp edge is good for cutting, digging and picking. It is delicately worked and has a unique shape.
The sheath is usually inlaid with copper and silver, sometimes engraved with animals or flowers or embellished with turquoise, ruby or agate. Tourists love these knives at first sight and give anything to have one. They make handy tools and long-lasting souvenirs of the local highland people.
Silverworks
Silverworks in Xining fully exhibit the local flavor of Qinghai. The finely smoothed items vary from dress ornaments to small containers.
‘The designs are adapted from folk arts or copied from artwork in the scripture hall of Kumbum Monastery. The ancient patterns send visitors back hundreds of years.
Tourists who have a penchant for traditional Chinese paintings or the “Four Treasures of the Study” (tools for Chinese calligraphy) may visit the city’s arts and crafts shop, the handicrafts building, but all the department stores have special jewelry counters. Although the selection of precious jewelry is limited, there are plenty of silverworks, imitation gold, and silver decorations, such as rings, earrings, necklaces, brooches, pins, hair ornaments and snuff bottles.
Blankets
Blankets made of Xining Wool are unique in design, come in many sizes and styles and have fine workmanship.
The plush jacquard blankets take advantage of the wool long fiber, resiliency, luster and tensile strength.
The blankets are designed in international fashion colors. The blanket ends are bound with silk ribbon while the sides are neatly finished to achieve a natural and pleasing result.
Carpets
A Xining carpet will furnish your home in style. It eliminates noise, retains warmth, is durable and is highly practical.
Carpets produced in Xining vary in color and design and are works of art, as well. Most of the carpets take traditional Chinese decorative patterns and flowers as the theme, exhibiting both a Chinese folk style and an Eastern sentiment.
Wind Boat is the most well-known brand of Xining carpets. Its products have won a national gold medal and have found their way into the markets of other countries.
Wool Pulu
Pulu, a fabric that may be used for clothing, cushions or other daily necessities, is a high-grade product suited to the special needs of the local minority people, the Tibetans.
Qinghai’s wool pulu, made of Xining Wool, is woven with string for warp and wool for weft. Bright colors and thick textures are its special features. It withstands wear and tear,
strong sunlight and laundering. Its colors never fade.
Besides wool pulu, there are also cotton pulu and acrylic pulu in all kinds of patterns. Each of which consists of seven to eleven colors.
In addition, all kinds of colorful tapestries, made from Xining Wool are available in the big department stores.
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