Where to buy Souvenirs
Chinese souvenirs are available in almost every corner of the city. But for quality souvenirs at a good price, we would recommend you two places where a collection of souvenir shops or dealers can be found.
Yuyuan Garden
Yuyuan Garden, whose construction started in 1559, is the most obvious choice for buying souvenirs.
Recent years, Yuyuan Garden is also famous for wholesale and retail markets around it. These markets sell varieties of Chinese-style products at a relatively low price, (compared with their price in overseas that will be extremely low,) Wholesalers can get the low price more easily, and ordinary customers may need bargain with seller.
Follow Fuyou Road and go south, on the east side (or the left side, if you follow our direction) is a big market. It is divided into many small stores, selling mirrors, Chinese knots, socks, stuff toys, watches, crystal products, pearl bags and handset decorations. Most goods are displayed on the first floor, while other floors are not as popular as it.
But you should have more patience because roads between lines of stores are quite narrow with crowded people, and you are easily got lost in the busy market, so wandering in order is a smart idea.
Leaving the market and keeping heading south along Fuyou Road, you will find another market selling crystal and agate products, "Shanghai Crystal Street," also on the east side (still the left side) of the road.
In it you can find crystals or agates of different shapes, sparkling and attractive. But all the stores sell similar goods so you need some special knowledge to tell which of them are of better quality and figure out the real price of them. (You may find tips later.)
Opposite to the crystal market is the "Fuyuan Shopping Mall." On the first floor, you can find lace products, which are cute while a little rough, fake hair, pearl bags, personal ornaments, teapot, chopsticks, embroidery, and ancient-Chinese-style dolls. The second floor of the mall sells heath-care products.
At last, when you enter the Yuyuan Garden, you will see "The Show of Special Skill by Folk Craftsmen," which displays folk techniques. You can buy a paper-cutting of your side figure, or a pencil sketch of your appearance, or buy a doll made by china.
On the China Gift & Specialty Street, you can find products combined with China's old customs and current fashions, like chopsticks, walking sticks, instruments, bags, pearls, cups, bowls, chinas, scissors, combs, embroidered shoes, poker cards and chesses with special print, umbrellas and pens. These goods are for appreciation rather than for practical use.
You may have no idea of what you want to buy when wandering into this pedestrian area. But the more stores you look at, the more things you would want to buy.
Duolun Road
Duolun Road is a short and quite street gathered with stores selling products passed from old Shanghai and goods with cultural sense. In old Shanghai, many modern literature figures, such as Lu Xun, Mao Dun, Guo Moruo and Ye Shentao, used to live in it. It also regarded as "an epitome of the change of Shanghai."
The stores on the street seem deep and dark, with old but precious products filled the rooms. They sell things as well as purchase valuable products. The street itself is like a museum, and walking on it, you can feel the custom and fashion of old Shanghai.
Pianos, maps, photos, typewriters, printing machine, comic strips, calligraphy and paintings, relics and western craft workers can be found along the road.
Besides these stores, you can also have a great fun in galleries, art halls, churches and coffee shops.
Transport: Take Metro Line No.3 and get off at Hongkou Football Stadium Station, then walk along Sichuan Rd.N towards South. Duolun Road is connected with Sichuan Rd.N in the north.
You can print out "带我去多伦路"("Take me to Duolun Road" in Chinese) to show to your taxi driver
Longhua Temple
Longhua, located in southwestern Shanghai, is the only ancient town preserved in the city's downtown area. Although it doesn't have as many as department stores as the Xujiahui commercial area, you will be able to find something there that is typically Chinese.
Surrounded by a group of ancient buildings, including the Longhua Temple and Longhua Pagoda, this area's main attraction is in its vendor stands. Fine examples of workmanship are displayed along the pedestrian street near Longhua Pagoda. What is on sale there is certainly in traditional Chinese style. The goods cover a wide range from beautifully wrought jade articles, ancient coins to Chinese knots and ink stones.
The asking prices of most of the goods along the street ranges from 80 yuan to 1,000 yuan. Don't feel stunned when the vendors give you a high price. Because here, bargaining is routine work. You can bargain with the vendors for further reductions and get a reasonable price — sometimes even beyond your expectations.
In Longhua, you can experience a real Chinese atmosphere, buy attractive and original souvenirs and enjoy a large variety of recreational activities. Because everyday is a temple fair!
If you want to buy jade, you can never be too careful because of the risk of buying fake jade.
In general, the value of jade is determined according to its color and the intensity of that color, the vivacity and texture, and its clarity and transparency.
The opening hours are usually from 7 am to 5 pm. The best time to go there is in April and May when the annual Longhua Temple Fair is held.
If you're hungry, there are several restaurants serving local delicacies along the way.
Transport: You can print out "带我去龙华寺," ("Take me to Longhua Temple" in Chinese), hail a taxi at Xujiahui or Shanghai Stadium Metro Stations and handle the note to taxi driver.
You can also take Metro Line.3 and get off at Longcao Road, then walk along Longcao Road to the east and turn to West Longhua Road. If you see the Longhua Pagoda, then you are at the right place.