Any Must Buy Souvenirs from China?
 

Hello
I'm relatively new to this forum. I will be heading on a 13 day trip to China and Hong Kong on August 20th and I would like some input on some "must buy" souvenirs to take home from China. It will be my 1st visit to China and 4th to Hong Kong. Once my itinerary gets finalized, I will be staying in Beijing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Wuxi and Shanghai. Preferably, I'm looking for small inexpensive items that won't break the bank. What about decorated fans are they worth buying there?

Thanks

Welcome to China! In Beijing you may buy some souvenirs like small pieces of
Cloisonne--Cloisonne(enamel formed in patterns of copper wire) is an art form developed in the 15th century, and now used to decorate vases, bowls, lamps, jewelry and omaments. In Suzhou, you can purchase Suzhou embroidery and silk products. Hangzhou is famou for its green tea, so you may buy some green Longjin Tea ( Dragon well tea, once imperial tea offered to the emperors in Beijing0. As for Wuxi, you can have some freshwater pearls,Wuxi clay figurines. Hope you have a dood trip in China

One of my favorite items from China is a Chinese tea set and this metal tea jar that is air tight that I purchased. I think it was around 100 Yuan for each. The set I'm talking about are the round two piece bowls with the 6-8 small cups that sit on top of the bowl.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will be on the lookout for some of the items you have suggested.

Don-

One of the best souvenirs you can bring home from China are signature chops-everyone loves them-from young kids to adults. A chop will be a stamp made of soap stone, that will have the figurehead of the Chinese zodiac sign of your birthyear or the birthyear of whomever you're getting it for. For example, I bought a chop for someone who was born in the year of the Horse, so the chop had a horse's head on it, and the chop itself was hand-engraved (while you wait-or you can come back to pick it up) with your first name in Chinese letters, and the bottom of the stamp will have your name in western letters (and Chinese I think-I'd have to look at mine to make sure). It comes with a little Chinese porcelain pot with the red stamp pad, and all of this comes in a nice little box. You can get these everywhere in China, and I don't know how much they're going for now, but I think I paid a few dollars for mine a couple of years ago in Xian.

If I were you, I'd get one for everyone-'cause when the folks back home see these, everyone wants to have one for themselves-they're pretty cool gifts.

Girlspytravel:
Awesome suggestion. I know alot of my friends and colleagues would love to have a gift like that. Thanks a million!

You're welcome, Don-just buy enough of them for everyone!