China Shopping

Shopping in China
If there is a place that can satisfy the buyers' appetite most, it must be China. China will never make you disappointed or worried about what to bring back. As wonderful mementos and gifts for your friends and relatives, special merchandise of various kinds, including Chinese silk, tea, antiques, paintings and calligraphy, Chinese medicines, jade and pearls, handicrafts, among others, are always available for your choice.

Just a few decades ago, China had shortages of just about everything (not that many people had money to buy anything). Of course, this has all changed. As the World’s Factory, China has a glut of goods and shopping is the new favorite pastime of the nation’s growing middle class. Eager to make up for lost time, millions of Chinese consumers have enthusiastically joined the rest of the world on the never-ending Global Consumer Treadmill. Welcome!

What to buy in China
When in China, most travelers want to bring back some wonderful mementos for themselves, or friends. As a fantastic shopping paradise, China would never let you down; There is no need to worry about what to buy. Chinese goods such as silk, jade, porcelain, Chinese medicines, antiques and, of course, Chinese tea should be on the must-buy list of all visitors. However, with so many options available, shopping can be time-consuming, confusing and exhausting. In fact, each city has its own local products. Just select one or two for your choice.

Beijing: Beijing Jade Ware, Beijing Lacquer Engraving, Chinese Knots, Inside Painted Bottle, Peking Opera Masks, Fresh Water Pearls;

  
                        Beijing Jade Ware                                                Fresh Water Pearls

Shanghai: Shanghai Jade Carvings, Shanghai Wood Carvings, Shanghai Silk Carpets, Chinese Qi-pao;

  
                         Chinese Qi-Pao                                                        Chinese Qi-Pao

     
                   Shanghai Silk Carpets                                          Shanghai Wood Carvings

Xi'an: Replicas of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Replicas of Tang sancai, Lantian Jade, Qin Embroidery, Blue and white Porcelain, Qinqiang Opera Mask;   

  
   Replicas of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses                    Blue and white Porcelain

Chinese jade in Guilin: Chinese Landscape Paintings, Yangshuo Painted Fan, Embroidered Balls, Paper Umbrella, Bamboo and Wooden Carvings, China Southern Sea pearls;

  
                          Paper Umbrella                                                      Paper Umbrella

  
                Chinese Landscape Paintings                                    Yangshuo Painted Fan

Chengdu: Shu Embroidery, Shu Brocade, Lacquer Ware, Shu Embroidery, Song Brocade,  Bi Luo Chun Tea;

  
                        Shu Embroidery                                                       Lacquer Ware

Hangzhou: Dragon Well Tea, Hangzhou Embroidery, Hangzhou Silk, West Lake Silk Umbrella, Wangxingji Fan, Tianzhu Chopsticks; 

                                   Longjing Green Tea                                              Longjing Green Tea

                                  Hangzhou silk                                                    Tianzhu Chopsticks

Hong Kong: Milk powder, Electronic appliances, cosmetics, Jewelry and Jade, Interior Decoration, Hand bag;

  
                           Hand bag                                                                   Milk powder

Kunming: Pu’er Tea, Chess, Teak Carvings, Dai Brocade, Sani Handbag;

  
                            Teak Carvings                                                        Pu’er Tea

Dali: Batik, Jade objects, Marble Products, Bai Ethnic Clothing;

  
                           Jade objects                                                     Bai Ethnic Clothing

 Lijiang: Naxi Bracelets and necklaces, Bunong Bells, Naxi Murals, Naxi knitted shawls;

  
              Naxi Bracelets and necklaces                                                Naxi Murals

Xinjiang: Xinjiang Carpets, Altas silk, folk handicrafts (Uygur-style hats, Knitted sweaters, ethnic costumes, hang-made embroideries), Hetian Jade;

  
                       Xinjiang Carpets                                                        Hetian Jade

Tibet: Tibetan Carpet, Tibetan medicine (saffron, aweto, Snow lotus, etc), Tibetan Knife, Tibetan Broadsword, Wooden bowls. 

  
                       Tibetan medicine                                                     Tibetan medicine

Top 10 famous shopping street in china
Abounding with various unusual and characteristic goods, China is a good place to satisfy many shoppers’ appetite. Here is a list of 10 busiest and famous shopping streets in China.

1. Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Causeway Bay or East Point is one of the major shopping districts in Hong Kong. It is famous mainly for stocking luxury brands, reasonably priced items can also be found here. You can also fully enjoy Hong Kong style snacks and seafood in Causeway Bay. Most of the shops and restaurants here stay open until late when the area becomes a colorful world flashing with neon and crowded with people.

2. Nanjing Road, Shanghai
Nanjing Road is located in city center of Shanghai. It starts at the Bund and ends at the Jing’an Temple. It is divided into two parts: Nanjing Road East. and Nanjing Road West. The east section is the busiest shopping area in Shanghai. On both sides of the road, there are many department stores with long histories, providing you with a wide choice of goods from food to clothes. The west part mainly boasts luxurious brand names and targets big spenders. You can find a wide variety of world-famous brands in these spacious and well-arranged stores, such as Armani, LV, Prada and CD. 

3. Wangfujing Street, Beijing
Wangfujing Street is the most famous shopping street in Beijing, it starts from the East Chang’an Street and ends at China Art Museum. With a length of around 1.5 km, the street has three main large shopping centers: Sun Dong An, the Malls of Oriental Plaza, and Beijing Department Store. Numerous world famous brands can be found here, such as Burberry, CK, Sisley, Ports, etc. Apart from modern luxuries, Wangfujing also boasts many time-honored Chinese brands, taking Shengxifu Hat Store and Tongbihe Shoes Shop for example. Attractions like Wangfujing Catholic Church  is also worth to visit.

4. Chunxi Road, Chengdu
Chunxi Road, located in city center, is the glitziest shopping district in Chengdu. The stores here mainly sell brand name foreign goods or their Chinese counterpart.Chunxi Road is also the gathering center of local flavor snacks. Here it is available the Zhongshui dumpling, Tangyuan (Glutinous Rice Balls), Pork Lungs in Chili Sauce, Wonton, as well as spicy barbecue on both sides of the street.

5.Ximending, Taipei
Located in west Taipei, Ximending is one of the most popular tourist spots among both local and international travelers. Ximending features a wide selection of fashionable clothing and accessories in many styles include Japanese, Chinese and Western. Ximending is famed for a diversity of entertainments and activities that allure large numbers of young people and young adults. It is often a gathering site for young people and has been noted the most fashionable and popular shopping area in Taiwan.

6. Beijing Road, Guangzhou
Beijing Road is the oldest and biggest shopping district in Guangzhou, this is a good place for purchasing sensible, midrange Hong Kong style clothes and garish local brands. Large malls include Grandbuy, Xindaxin and Mayflower. Stores here in the road usually opens from 10:00 to 22:00.

7. Jiefangbei, Chongqing
The Jiefangbei commercial Pedestrian Street is located in city center. Clusters of modern shopping malls and exclusive shops line the roadsides. Banks, theatres, KTV clubs, bookstores, hotels, bars and pubs are also quite easy to find. You can find traditional snacks such as Spicy Chaoshou, Spicy Soup at the roadside shops.

8. Jianghan Street, Wuhan
Jianghan Road is very popular in Wuhan, stretching from Yanjiang Avenue in the south to Jiefang Avenue in the north, with the overall length of 1,600 meters. With the history of over one hundred years, it’s a famous time-honored business street of Wuhan and one of the most bustling areas of Hankou, boasting about 30 varieties of stores and more than 90 time-honored brands, which cover goods, insurance, finance and food.

9. Hunan Road, Nanjing
Hunan Road is a great place to check out in the evening. It has great food, clothing stores, entertainment, and a public park attached at the end. Hunan Road is home to one of the most jam-packed and diversified food streets in Nanjing: Lion’s Bridge. In the evening on Hunan road, it easy to forget it the sun has set, as the street seems almost as bright as the daytime. There are neon lights on buildings, arches above the road, and in the “Light Art Tunnel”.  On Fridays and Saturdays the entire street is blocked off to cars in the evening.

10. Central Avenue, Harbin
Central Street is a pedestrian-only cobblestone street more than a kilometer long lined with stores, restaurants, old architecture dating from the Russian era, and malls. Central Street was part of the original town built by the Russians about 110 years ago. It was first called Chinese Street. You’ll find some shops with Russian products, international restaurants, and two mega markets, Walmart and the French Carrefour, that are located at the end of Central Street. The street is said to be the prettiest street in Harbin, and during the winter you can enjoy a dog sled or a horse sled ride. It is an easy shopping and dining highlight in the area.

Shopping Tips: 
1. Shops in China usually are open from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm; in spite of others until 9:30 pm. "Night Market" may remain open until midnight or even all night during weekdays. However, times vary by seasons: open hours are longer in summer than in winter.
2. Credit Cards, including Master Card, Visa, American Express, JCB, Diners Club, Million, Federal, are acceptable in most large Chinese department stores. However, cash is more prevalent in China, especially for street vendors.
3. Bargaining is expected in small shops, markets and street stalls. But there is no latitude for bargaining in large shops and department stores, where prices are clearly marked. 
4. Check carefully the quality of your purchases to ensure there are no flaws. Moreover, tell the genuine from the fake, when to buy antiques.
5. Keep receipts and try to hang on to the bag from the shop where bought each item in case you need to return it.