Cathryn always likes to poke fun at my habit, and takes me to shops with products for smokers.
Yesterday she took me to "Match's Quote" where I discovered a universe of specially-designed matches and matchboxes.
The designs showed modern abstract pictures, traditional Chinese patterns, Peking Opera masks, graffiti, and international stars. I liked the modern designs best.
By A. Lao
At an archaeological gift shop, I found a kind of percussion instrument that was used in ancient China over 3,500 years ago!
It's an imitation of an archeological find - a bronze bell set. I picked up a small wooden hammer, and knocked on the seven bells hanging from a wooden frame. The sweet simple notes rang throughout the shop!
If only I could remember a musical score!
By J. Jia
I never thought scarves were very important. But now, I know, I was wrong.
On my way to a Beijing's old Drum Tower, I stepped in a little shop. My god! Never have I seen so many crazy scarves!
Some double-sided embroidery patterns caught my eye, and I almost bought one. I also like the modern, elegant wool shawls for parties, they feel like baby's skin, so soft and exquisite.
--by Cathryn
Traditional Chinese paper cuts that show Einstein and Mona Lisa are hard to find.
But this place has it all.
It's great to find a mixture of east and west, then bring it back home.
Some of the paper cutouts had layers of colors with an elaborate, unique look.
By A.Lao
I saw a good example of this in some stylish yet traditional cheongsams for women.
These cotton-made cheongsams really seemed to have a style of their own: old and new.
One that featured tiny, light-blue flowers sewn along blue lines looked very special with its large neckband and triangle shape.
It only cost 50 dollars.
By A. Lao
Normally I would only visit shops with gorgeous stones and paintings. Never had I thought I would also be attracted to a puppet shop. But yesterday I was.
I like the puppets in Ji Gu Ge for the following reasons:
By A.Lao
"Oriental Palace" has a tea house with tea like Da Hongpao and Tie Guanyin on one side, and a clothes store with traditional cheongsams on the other.
I noticed a traditional sleeveless frock with a traditional golden phoenix pattern. I love how smooth the silk felt.
By A.Lao
It's fantastic to have a picture of you and your lover painted on a top-quality porcelain plate, right? You can make it happen at the Jingdezhen Artistic Porcelain Shop.
An artist from Jingdezhen, ‘the Capital of Porcelain', is always painting a plate here. Just give him a photo, and he will paint your own design. You can even pick up your personalized plate the next day.
You can also have your name painted on a teacup. It only costs about 3 US dollars!
By J. Jia
I never knew what an ocarina was, or how it related to China, until I found this shop called "New Vista."
The shop assistant told me an ocarina is a European version of the ancient Chinese musical instrument "Xun." They have an almost identical design.
When she played it, the sound seemed to have come from a distant place.
By A. Lao
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