Shopping spree in Yangshuo - Brief Article

I like to travel light and can go through an entire country without buying even a postcard. But, in April ‘01 the shopping bug bit in Yaugshuo and a week passed before I noticed the need for more luggage. By that time I was feeling sorry for those on the tour boats from Guilin who had roughly three hours for shopping.

A find

The bug first bit as I was browsing through Vanishing Tribes ethnic shop. I was attracted to the carved panels from elaborate Chinese beds that somehow survived the Cultural Revolution. Not only were the panels beautifully carved with beguiling animals, they also were’ a link with China’s history.

Casually inquiring about the price, I found I could buy them without too much bargaining. Solid pieces, a bit damaged, were around $5 and panels carved in 3-dimensional layers were around $20. I ended up with some 20 panels, some for me, some for friends and some for charity auctions.

On a roll, I also bought a copper-and-brass incense burner, which the owner, Bobby Lijang, said was not old, but it was only $8 and I loved it. A 12-inch square of unbelievably intricate embroidery from Guizhou province was $20.

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