When you’re having guests over for dinner, it’s always nice to use some fine dinnerware. And “Between Earth and Sky”, located inside Hongqiao market in south Beijing, offers some strange ideas.

The shop carries a nice collection of dishware with very unique designs. First, the shapes are not your typical round ones. They may resemble leaves, little boats,  and other things. In fact, the shopkeeper Ms. Liu told me the shape is anything that comes to the designers’ mind.

Black, white, and Purple-red glazes are applied to each piece, giving them distinctive shines. Chinese calligraphy engraved adds a sense of culture. I have personally never seen anything like this before.

In addition to dinnerware, the shop also offers a variety of tea sets and cups.

Prices range from RMB 30 to RMB 3,000. Ms. Liu speaks fluent English for easy communication.

What I appreciate

A plate engraved with a Tang emperor poem

What customers appreciate

Nice dishware, quality service

The art of straw-weaving, which has been seen on potteries as early as 6000 years ago, is considered an essential element of Chinese culture.

Straw-weaving Workshop, nested in the southern part of downtown Beijing, offers this special form of art. Here you’ll find straws weaved into different animals, such as birds, beasts, and insects. They all looked amazingly lovely and lifelike.

Although I don’t really like snakes, I couldn’t help but admire the piece on it, which looked very detailed. A pair of cranes also caught my attention, because of how hard it was to create their slim bodies and lively postures.,

When I asked the shop manager, Ms. Chen, what are the popular items, she showed me a straw-weaving of a large dragon. This made sense, as the dragon is considered the most power animal in Chinese legends.

The workshop makes all items themselves. Their master is very renowned, and has won numerous handicraft awards.

Prices here range from RMB 20 for a cicada to RMB300 for a dragon. Ms. Chen speaks a little English. No need to worry about a communicating.

What I appreciate

Beautiful straw weavings of crane and dragon

What customers appreciate

Dragon weavings, quality service

A small porcelain shop recently opened on the north side of Di’anmen Dongdajie. It’s easily recognizable, with its white signboard which shows the shop name “Chunny Ceramics”. Their catchphrase, written in Chinese characters, was “We produce practical works of art”. I went inside to check it out.

The wooden shelves show various uniquely shaped ceramics, including sculptures, vessels, home decorations, tea sets, wall decorations, and necklaces. The shopkeeper, Mr. Li, told me that all of their products are designed by professional artisans in Jingdezhen, the famous ceramics capital of China.

He also said that each item is uniquely handmade. If you buy one cup, you can be sure that there’s no other cup in the world like it. To check, I looked at their ceramics one by one carefully, and found that each one really did look different from others.

The cups I picked up had irregular small pits on the surface, but my fingers fit around the pits comfortably. That’s when I realized that this cup was designed this way.

One cup usually costs RMB 10 - 20. Note that nearly each cup bears their registered brand name “Chun Ni”, which means “Spring Soil” in English.

They also accept customer requests. If you have a particular idea in mind, they can design and make a custom ceramic work in about 20 days. Two assistants who can speak some English ensure smooth communication.

What I appreciated

Original design, one piece one style

What customers appreciate

Distinct ceramics, good for gift and souvenir

Paper-cuttings are pictures cut from paper, using scissors or blades. It has been around in China for about two thousand years. People generally paste these patterns on windows, lanterns, or doors to express the feelings of joy and life values. They look both beautiful and interesting, and are widely popular among Chinese.

On the north side of Di’anmen East Street, a paper-cutting shop recently opened. Its name, Jinyi, means ‘Golden Art’ in English.

When I stepped into the shop yesterday afternoon, the shopkeeper Mr. Zhao greeted me at once. He hails from Yuxian, a county near Beijing nicknamed ‘the village of paper-cuttings’. Mr. Zhao’s grandpa started making paper-cuttings, and now Mr. Zhao is the third generation in the family business.

He told me that a single paper-cutting usually features just one color, but can be layered to have a variety of patterns. Take the piece that depicted cows grazing on grass, for instance. You can see four colors, one on top of another: yellow, brown, green and black. This elaborate work, which cost 480 yuan, required four times the work of a single piece.

They also have small items ideal for gifts or souvenirs, like a set of 12 Chinese zodiac animals which opens up like a pamphlet (RMB 10). A finely-cut miniature Emperor’s robe cost only RMB 3. They even have paper portraits of Einstein and Mona Lisa.

Mr. Zhao added that there will be an artisan making paper-cuttings on spot every day. Customers can learn the basics of the art free of charge. They also take custom orders.

What I appreciated

Folk handicraft, elaborate paper-cut works

What customers appreciate

Traditional works of art by hand, superb workmanship

Purple clay from the county of Yixing is considered the best natural material for making tea sets. Their purple clay teapots can abundantly release your tea's aroma and keep it from going tasting bad better than any other material.

On my visit to Chayuan Tea City at the south end of Maliandao Tea Street yesterday afternoon, I found some user-friendly purple clay tea cups in a shop (No. A2-10) named Qingyi, which literally means "Affection" in English.

As I set my eyes upon the tea cups shown on the shelves, a shop assistant started telling me about the twelve Chinese zodiac animal cups originally designed by the shopkeeper, Mr. Chen.

I picked up a chocolate-colored one with a miniature rooster on the cover. When I opened the lid, to my surprise, I found a purple clay interlayer stuck in the middle. Inside stood another miniature rooster. This layer has many small, round holes that allow tea to pass through and keep the leaves at the bottom. So don’t worry about accidently drinking any leaves.

Prices for all of their tea cups range from 20 to 120 yuan. For teapots, the prices vary greatly by quality, from 50 to 16,000 yuan. In addition, you can find a variety of tea ceremony accessories, and some famous Chinese teas too.

Another middle-aged shopkeeper used to be a tour guide, and can speak English.

What I appreciated

Purple clay tea cups originally designed by shop keeper, reasonable prices

What customers appreciate

User-friendly purple clay tea cups, Chinese teas and tea sets

Porcelain comes in various types: celadon, sancai, blue-and-white, to name a few. One of priciest type is called ‘Yao Bian Ci’ or ‘transmutation-glaze porcelain’.

JingDeZhen Ceramics, located near the Forbidden City, offers a fine selection of ‘Yao Bian Ci’. The ‘Yao Bian’ craftwork, originated from Song Dynasty 800 years ago, involves burning mixture of glaze into silica, lime, or copper ore-rich glasses at high temperatures. After the spontaneous and irregular changing process, it is impossible to have two vessels with the same color.

At the shop I saw many ‘Yao Bian Ci’ vases, jars for home and office decoration. One is a globular, red-purple splashed vase. The splash looks like a waterfall. There are only two vases of this kind. One is in the Great Hall of the People, and the other at the shop. It is the most expensive vase inside, with a RMB 400, 000 price tag.

I also found a variety of goblets in the shop. The amazing thing about the goblet is that when it is filled with wine, an image of beautiful lady would appear at the bottom. It sells for around RMB 100.

The owner, Mr. Yu, speaks a little English. Communication is not a problem.

What customers appreciate

Unique products

What I appreciate

Unique products

The ancient land of Himalaya captures the souls of many who have ever or never been there. So  I was thrilled to find a shop in Beijing offering handicrafts from that mystical region.

BaZha Tribe in the Drum Tower area carries a wide variety of daily products from Nepal, Pakistan, India, Tibet, and even Russia. Although everyday items there, these are rarely found elsewhere in the world.

Ms. Ma, the owner, was a former tourism editor. She introduced me to a collection of Pakistani products: a peach-wood fruit tray, boat-shape bowl with a complex floral design, and a candleholder that looks like a grape vine. Prices range from RMB 250 to RMB 1500.

Personally, I liked the Nepalese woolen scarves and shawls. Handmade in a small town near Nepal’s capital Katmandu, they are colorful, soft, and decorated with intricate motifs. Each sells around RMB 300. They are also the best seller at BaZha Tribe.

Products from Tibet include necklaces, rings, bracelets, prayer wheels, and Tangkas. Prices vary a lot, from RMB 30 to RMB 2000.

Ms. Ma speaks fluent English and French, and often travels to Himalaya region. She’d love to tell you a story or two about the region.

What I appreciate

Nepal shawls and scarves

What customers appreciate

Beautiful products, quality service

Paper-cutting, an ancient form of art that uses scissors and paper to cut into all kinds of themes,  has been around since ancient times.

Zi Yi Xuan, a Paper-cutting shop next to the Forbidden City, offers a large selection of paper-cutting works in the center of Beijing. They make paper cuttings of all sorts of themes, including shadow puppets, peacocks, playing children, opera figures, and court ladies.

Mr. Li, the owner, said one of the most popular items is the set of 12 Chinese Zodiac animals, believed to bring happiness and success to their owner. The works look lively, and the animals seem to pop out from the paper. The set sells around RMB 900.

I also picked up a colorful fish paper-cutting commonly seen during the Chinese spring festivals. People use them to adorn their doors and windows during Spring Festival. The fish express their wishes for more wealth. It sells only for RMB 25.

Other popular themes include historical tales, auspicious animals, and daily life scenes. I even found some Fuwa mascots for the Olympics.

Mr. Li speaks a little English. Communication should not be a problem.

What I appreciate

Beautiful works

What customers appreciate

Beautiful works and quality service

Jun ware is a type of celadon, with a strange blue and white color due to its unique makeup. Those who wish to obtain some of the best Jun ware in Beijing can find a nice shop conveniently located near the Forbidden City. It is called Yan Bao Tang.

This shop offers a selection of Jun porcelain made straight from the origin, Yu County in Henan. There, the Jun ware were made using an ancient kiln excavated 3 decades ago.

I had a chat with Mr. Wang, the shop owner and noted connoisseur. He told me he was fascinated by Jun porcelain and the process - Furnace Transmutation. This technique could make shimmering chinaware by the irregular application of glaze.

In the shop, I saw a mountain-themed plate. But after the Furnace Transmutation process, a Santa image popped up unexpectedly. This is the magic of Furnace Transmutation. Before the process finished, you’d never know what you are going to get. This particular plate costs around RMB 2,500.

Though most of the products copy traditional designs, there are some modern patterns. Two bottle vases with bronze lace and flames are actually designed by Mr. Han Meilin, who created Beijing’s Olympic mascots. Each vase sells for around RMB 3,000.

What I appreciate

Beautiful vessels

What customers appreciate

Beautiful products, good service

What a pity it is if a tea lover doesn't have a good purple clay teapot! For this teapot accentuate and preserve the aroma of your tea, bringing out its full taste. It does this through tiny, invisible pores which allow air to freely flow, and for the flavor to sink in. The longer a purple clay teapot is used, the sleeker and brighter it looks.

Yesterday, on the fifth floor of Bairong World Trade Centre, I found a nice place carrying both purple clay and porcelain tea sets. The purple clay tea pots on a shelf come in brown, chocolate, and green hues. Most of them are sold for RMB 50 to 300. Higher end pots were made by masters with their personal certificate.

Other purple clay products include cups in various sizes and small animal decorations.

They also carry a wide variety of porcelain tea sets. Although not as good as purple clay when it comes to tea-making, these tea sets do look more exquisite for decoration purposes. Most come in gift boxes. The most appealing one to me was a box containing a pot and four tea bowls. Combining both purple clay and porcelain, they also have an antique feel with various cracks. Don’t worry. These cracks are made by design and won’t break. Each set costs about RMB 45.

The shop owners have much experience with foreign customers, so communication is not a problem.

What I appreciated

Purple clay and porcelain tea sets, reasonable prices

What customers appreciate

Elaborate tea sets, many designs for selection