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Yunnan has abundant shopping options.
Though it is easiest to shop at the large department stores
- the quality is usually good, they have fixed prices, and
they will replace any defective items - shopping in markets
can be cheaper, but requires bargaining skills. Few vendors
speak any English.
Thriving cottage industries exist in some ethnic communities,
offering many attractive handcrafted items. There are also
government tourist centres selling a variety of handicrafts
and many silk shops will make clothes to order.
 Chess
Yunnan has been making chess sets for over five hundred-year
and craft some elegant and startling pieces.
Chinese
Medicines
Rich in medicinal plants and herbs, thanks to its varied climate
and topography, a wide variety of locally manufactured traditional
medicines are available. These include White Powder - a well-known
Chinese patent medicine, apparently effective for invigorating
the blood is circulation and treating inflammation.
Cloisonné
One of the highest forms of traditional Chinese handicrafts,
this enamelware uses thin metal strips to separate colours
and designs. Jewellery, chopsticks, boxes, and other decorative
items are among the many attractive items available.
Dai
Brocade
Bags, skirts and other decorative items are beautifully spun
and woven by the Dai people.
Dali
Marble Products
Many unusual and decorative items are carved from the abundant
and beautiful marble found at Dali.
Embroidery
This extraordinary skill, dating back thousands of years,
requires the artist to use micro-thin filaments to conceal
the ends and joints, so that the picture on both sides of
these exquisite double-faced pieces appears flawless. There
are countless different designs and qualities, and the most
precious and expensive pieces feature different colours on
each side.
Jewels
and Jades
Chinese master jade carvers are recognised as the finest in
the world and Kunming, Ruili, Yingjiang and Manshi are well-established
centres for precious stones and jades from Myanmar.
Lacquerware
Carved or inlaid with mother-of-pearl, these decorative and
durable pieces are equally appealing.
Pearls
Shops are willing to make a necklace with a wide selection
of individual strands.
Tea
Yunnan tea is one of the world's finest, its industry dating
back 1,700 years. Green tea, jade green tea, mixed tea, Xuanchun
tea, Hongbao and Yinzhen tea are all available, as are the
scented varieties, including smoked, white orchid, and the
popular jasmine tea.
Teak
Carving
Yunnan's famous and gifted wood carvers create a wide range
teakwood items, including many in the form of animals and
birds.
Yunnan
Bronze
There are many beautifully crafted bronze items cast using
special techniques dating back hundreds of years. This technical
skill has won Yunnan's craftsmen international recognition.
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