I like the red color

Chinese lacquerware

is one of my favorite items to shop for in Beijing.

It takes tens or even hundreds of layers of painting to finish a single piece. The whole process takes 4 to 6 months!

I like the deep red color; it’s very auspicious in China.

So putting lacquerware in your room brings good fortune!

--by Cathryn

gorgeous scenery of her hometown

Frankly speaking, I don't have any  taste for paintings, but I was deeply attracted by one woman's paintings!

She belongs to the Dong, one of China's ethnic minority groups. In her artwork, I saw the gorgeous scenery of her hometown.

I put one of them in my room, so that I can feel inspired everyday by their unique beauty.

--by Cathryn

Chinese Dolls painting

I have a very interesting painting hanging on the wall of my bedroom: a boy is presenting a bunch of flower to a girl.

Her smiling face evokes memories of the games I played as a child.

I'm very happy to have this unorthodox painting in my room. It combines folk art and traditional painting styles together.

--by Cathryn

Kendama is hot now in Beijing!

If you open the bag of a teenager in Beijing, you will find the newest toy: not an iPod, PSP, or action figure, but the hottest toy—the Kendama!

It’s a wooden object shaped like a hammer, with a ball attached. The point is to get the ball to swing around and land on top?

Kind of like the old cup-and-ball game in the West, but harder!

--by Cathryn

Hangzhou Silk Shop

My friend told me about a shop specializing in Hangzhou silk near the Beixinqiao subway station.

This one sold silk fabric by the meter, and it was all arranged by prices and colors.

An orange item bearing a phoenix pattern was especially beautiful. It had threads of several hues.

The design was so delicate, and the workmanship was so exquisite, I suddenly realized why my friend stopped talking to me since she entered the shop.

By A. Lao

Do you like it?

Found this interesting panda T-shirt in Beijing; it's so funny! 

All the lines point to vital points on the body.

Striking the vital points is a type of Kung Fu that is very popular nowadays. Many clinics even use it as a way to treat disease.

This shop has other panda patterns that are very hot in Beijing, I think I’ll take my friend there tomorrow.

--by Cathryn

Kites, kites, kites!

What really refreshes my mind at work is when a bird or a kite flies by the window.

This strong feeling I have for kites is inexplicable, given I can't even fly one!

So I decided to learn. "Many kites sold on the market can't fly," the shop owner said, "but ours are guaranteed to fly easily."

I haven't had the time to go out and try yet, but I just can't get tired of looking at its fine and delicate features.

By A.Lao

Old school

It is the classic symbol of England. The "Routemaster" saw continuous service for nearly 50 years, and currently remains on two heritage routes in central London.

--by Cathryn

Quite the collection

Each one of these porcelain plates features a pattern depicting one step in crafting famous Jingdezhen porcelain ware.

I especially like the snow-white background and the deep blue color to make each scene. 36 in all!

I couldn't help but gasp in admiration at how ingenious the ancient Chinese were!

By J. Jia

Visit Tibet in Beijing!

The shop assistant told me that Tianzhu stone items are passed down through generations in Tibetan families. He then showed me a unique Tianzhu stone pipe for smoking tobacco. 

Understandably, high-grade items had high-grade prices. Some items cost as much as 450 dollars a piece.

By A. Lao