Popular choices on shopping in China

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. However, 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.

Following are the most popular Chinese products for tourists.

Arts and Crafts

China is a treasure house of arts and crafts which are an important part of the Nation's cultural inheritance. Products such as carving, embroidery, pottery and porcelain, glassware and dyeing, replicas of ancient cultural relics are all exquisitely crafted.

Other well-known crafts are weaving, printing and dyeing. Cloisonne is a special traditional handicraft of Beijing while Jiangxi Jingdezhen ware is a representative of China's fine porcelain. China's handmade carpets are much sought after in international markets. Suzhou, Hunan, Guangdong and Sichuan embroidery are four of China's best-known embroideries.

Some of the regional art and craft specialties include the wood carving of Dongyang and the bamboo products of Shengxian from Zhejiang Province, the clay figurine of Master Zhang from Tianjin, the grass and wickerwork from Shandong Province, the three color-glaze Tang ware of Luoyang from Henan Province, the batik from Guizhou Province and the Huishan clay figurine of Wuxi from Jiangsu Province.

Also well-know are the four treasures of study of Xuan paper and ink stick from Anhui Province, Duan ink slab from Zhaoqing, Guangdong Province, and Shanlianhu writing brush from Wuxing, Zhejiang Province. There are many other famous handicrafts, such as folk paper cuts created by women farmers. 

Silk and Tea

Chinese silk is famous in the world for its magnificent quality, color and variety. Representative samples are brocade from Hangzhou, Sichuan brocade from Chengdu, the fine, tough silk and pure silk crepe from Suzhou and tussah silk from Dandong.

China is the home of tea. Tea is divided into green, black, perfumed, white and Wulong tea. Longjing (green tea) and Biluochun (green tea), are famous throughout the world.

Liquors and Wines

Since ancient times, China spirits and wines have developed in their unique way and have won many international awards. Famous liquors include Maotai from Guizhou, Fen and Zhuyeqing from Shanxi, Wuliangye, Jiannanchun and Luzhou Laojiao from Sichuan, Gujing tribute liquor from Anhui, Yanghe Daqu from Jiangsu and Dong Liquor from Guizhou.

Fruit wines include gold medal brandy, red grape wine and Weimeisi from Yantai, China red grape wine from Beijing, Shacheng white grape wine form Hebei, Minquan white grape wine from Henan.

Yellow rice wines include rice wine from Shaoxing, sinking-in-jar wine from Longyan and sealed jar wine from Danyang. Yanjing and Qingdao are two famous brands of the many varieties of fine beers available in China. 

Traditional Chinese medicine

The body of knowledge that makes up traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been accumulated over thousands of years. It is a school of its own. Numerous herbal and other drugs are being used for their high curative efficacy, and those with a high tonic value are favorites with the Chinese.