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SHOPPPING in TAIYUAN |
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Although Taiyuan is not an overly modern or tourist orientated city, there are still a good number of shopping specialties, both traditional and modern. Of particular interest are the different rice wines that are produced here, most notably the Fenjiu Wine (Feng jiu), that has long been known throughout the country and in limited form abroad, and the other popular brand called Green Bamboo Leaf Wine (Zhuyeqing). The locals here are also very proud of their vinegar, claiming it as one of the four best of its kind in China.
Other items of possible interest include the lifelike dough figurines, dates, apples, walnuts, colored glazed-products, fur coats, gold and lacquer inlaid wares, fine glassware, jade carvings as well as a number of traditional Chinese herbs.
Shops and shopping areas:
On Qiaotou jie, you may find shops selling the local costumes for traditional Chinese operas (including the local Jin Opera).
At night, you may go to the night market on Liuxiang nanlu to hunt for some interesting trinkets at reasonable prices.
At the Friendship Store (Youyi shangdian) at 45 Yingze dajie you may find an expensive collection of jade handicrafts and art materials of good quality.
You may go hunting for souvenirs at both the Arts and Crafts Store (Gongyi pin shangdian) at 54 Yingze dajie or at the Antique Store (Guwan shangdian) at 15 Jiefang lu.
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| Fengjiu Wine |
Fenjiu Wine (Fen jiu), originally brewed in the Northern and Southern Dynasties at least 1,500 years ago, is one of the oldest brands of wine in China. Noted not only for its unique fragrance but also for its taste (and after-taste, of course), it is now acknowledged as one of the eight most famed wines in China. Its debut at the international arena was made in 1916 at the International Exhibition in Pamama, where it won a gold medal for its unparalleled quality. Today, it is an important export item for the province
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| Shanxi Vinegar |
| People in China have long been fond of their vinegar, and the people of Taiyuan go one step further. The Shanxi people are considered masters among their peers in the vinegar world, and as such this eye watering seasoning is used in almost every dish, from cold noodles to steaming dumplings.
The Shanxi vinegar (Shanxi lao chengcu) is known in China as one of the four most famed kinds of vinegar, along with those in Zhenjiang, Sichuan and Fujian. The Shanxi people are so proud of their product that it is often claimed to prevent high blood pressure, hepatitis and skin diseases. Many Shanxiese, when travelling away from home, apparently carry a small bottle of this powerful stuff to combat loneliness.
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| Dough Figurine |
| Dough Figurine (Miansu or Mianren) making is a traditional Chinese art form with a history longer than one hundred years. It is a fairly simple art, somewhat similar to the gingerbread men making in the west. First the dough is molded into all kinds of shapes, with images of figures, animals, fruits and more; the shapes are then steamed in a bamboo steamer and then painted with pigments. These are not to be eaten |
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