Gifts from the ancient Chinese culture

Folk handicrafts are an essential element of the Chinese culture, and attract foreign and domestic visitors alike. One shop that has a large variety of folk handcrafts is the Folk Craft Gift near the Forbidden City.

On the shop’s shelves hold a large array of gift items: bamboo books, opera masks, bronze vessels, wood sculptures, earthen wares, etc. The prices are all fairly low.

The main features of the shop are the bamboo books, commonly used in China before the invention of paper. Books vary in thermes. One had a poem of the famous Li Bai as he showered praises for China’s mother river, the Yellow River. Another set of four pieces of bamboo paintings depicts ‘the four beauties of ancient China’. Each of them sells around RMB 100.

One small bronze mask with bulgy eyes caught me in curiosity. The owner told me that original mask, excavated two hundred years ago, sparked a debate on the origin of Chinese culture. This perfect replica is priced at RMB 200.

The owner, Mr. Zhou, can speak a little English for communication. As he has studied in Japan, he can communicate fully in Japanese too.

What I appreciate

Beautiful products, good service

What customers appreciate

Beautiful products, low prices