Souvenir shopping in China
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Shuǐjǐng Xiàng Market
Lively market running north–south between Xi Dajie and Nanguan Jie.
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Shuyuan Xiang
The Qing-style Shuyuan Xiang is the main street for art supplies, paintings, calligraphy, paper cuts, brushes and fake rubbings from the Forest of Stelae Museum.
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Sanshizhai Kites
This family-owned business sells a gorgeous array of homemade silk and bamboo kites. Choose from sectioned dragon kites and massive butterfly contraptions, which they say soar over 1000m.
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Madame Mao's Dowry
The Maoist era repackaged as a chic accessory; pick up a bust of the Chairman, a repro revolutionary tin mug, Cultural Revolution prints or an antique lacquered Ming cabinet.
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Mao badges
A marvellous deluge of Mao-era badges and posters, old records, photos, books, typewriters and assorted Shànghǎi bric-a-brac from the decadent days. With a bit of exploration you are bound to dig up something.
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Dongtai Road Antique Market
A short shuffle west of the Old Town towards Xīntiāndì, the Dongtai Rd Antique Market is a hefty sprawl of curios, knick-knacks and Mao-era nostalgia, though only a fraction of the items qualify as antique. Haggle hard.
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Yunhong Chopsticks Shop
One-stop chopstick shopping is sorted at this busy shop on the East Nanjing Rd drag. Chopsticks range from basic wooden models for so-so friends back home to solid silver sets (the precious metal dispels toxins) for your current crush.
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Xing Mu’s Handicrafts
The hand-bound books, some made of hemp and linen and emblazoned with Peking opera masks and scenes of Beijing life, make ideal gifts, or a good diary to record your Beijing trip. The shelves are also loaded down with sheaves of artisan paper.
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Haoyuan Market
Branching off from Wangfujing Snack St is this small, bustling souvenir market. There’s lots of Mao memorabilia, pandas and Buddhas, as well as other tacky tourist tat, but if you’re pushed for time and need a last-minute present you might find something. Haggling is imperative.
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Old Street
The morass of Mao-era keepsakes brings no surprises, but the ye olde China streetscape of Old Street is entertaining. Vendors are tamer than at Yuyuan Bazaar, and there’s a glut of souvenirs: shadow puppets, calendar posters, Yixing teapots, Tibetan jewellery, calligraphy scrolls and kites.
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Grifted
Slap in the middle of the trendy Nanluogu Xiang hutong, Grifted has a wide selection of tongue-in-cheek souvenir options, most made locally. Check out the dolls of Mao, Marx and Lenin; communist icons reinvented as soft toys. T-shirts, Mao-print cushions and quirky umbrellas are available too.
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Shanghai Antique & Curio Store
A long-established government-run store that takes up an entire block and offers some interesting curios. You'll find porcelain, jade, jewellery, cloisonné and embroidered silk. Designated tourist shops like this are expensive alternatives to the markets. Their range is good, but you need a shrewd eye.
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King & Country
This shop has models and miniatures, mostly of a military bent (the American War of Independence, Napoleonic Wars etc), but there are also street models of old Hong Kong: building frontages, a Chinese wedding procession, even an 'amah (maid) with baby and chicken'. They're fast becoming coveted collectors' items.
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Pyongyang Art Studios
Unsurpassed communist kitsch delivered straight to your hands from the axis of evil. Ponder maps of Pyongyang and browse edifying literature (Towards the Eminence of Socialism), North Korean ciggies, liquor, T-shirts, posters vilifying America, DPRK flags, postcards and badges. Grab a copy of The US Imperialists started the Korean War while you're there.
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Xiyang Shi
Xiyang Shi is a narrow alley that is probably the best stop for souvenirs. You'll find terracotta warriors, Huxian farmer paintings, shadow puppets, lanterns, tea ware, 'antiques', Mao memorabilia, T-shirts…you name it. Quality varies (almost everything is fake), so check purchases carefully and bargain hard - but don't confuse this with being rude. Smiling always helps.
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Queen’s Road West Incense Shops
Head along Queen’s Rd West, several hundred metres past the end of Hollywood Rd, and you’ll find two or three shops selling incense and paper offerings. These are burned to propitiate the spirits of the dead. There’s quite a choice of spirit-world comestibles to make a consumer heaven for the deceased, including complete mini-sets of kitchenware, fast-food meals, cars, gold and silver ingots, the popular hell banknotes, and even computers and personal stereos. They are tempting to buy as souvenirs, but if you’re superstitiously minded, remember that hanging onto these offerings rather than burning them is seen as bad luck here.
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