Nanjing Shopping

Nanjing is famous for its local arts and crafts. The most famous three are the cloud brocade, paper-cuttings, and imitations of ancient ivory carvings. Other famous products and handcrafts include Nanjing colorful pebbles, Jinling gold foils, Nanjing velvet flowers, Jinling folded fans, wood carvings, velvet and jade objects. Additionally, being a modern metropolis, Nanjing also offers an array of dazzling shopping malls and department stores, stocked with plenty of international brand names, which can be found in the commercial areas of the city.

Traditional Satin

The traditional cloud-pattern brocade is the most famous of all the Nanjing handicrafts. It received its name for the pattern on the material tends to resemble beautiful clouds. Originating from the Southern Dynasty, the cloud-pattern brocade gradually developed during the Yuan Dynasty and became extremely popular during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Historically there were special institutes which were in charge of making garments with the cloud-pattern brocade for the imperial family or their foreign dignitaries. Now, to get your hands on this traditional satin, try looking around the Confucius Temple area and at the night market on Hunan Lu.

Velvet

Velvet is a material which was traditionally made and crafted in Nanjing. There are two main types of velvet produced in the region: silk velvet and silk-floss velvet. This velvet is used in tapestry, cushions, rugs, clothing and upholstery. There are numerous shops near the Drum Tower (Gulou) roundabout on Hunan Lu where you can purchase good quality velvet.

Imitation Ancient Ivory Carvings

Imitation Ancient Ivory Carvings are very popular in Nanjing. The most common pieces depict figures, animals and vessels. One masterpiece, "The Princess Wencheng Leaving for Tibet" was chosen as one of the nine best traditional handcrafts produced in China. Besides this, other pieces are also very popular including the "Duanwu Dragon Boat", "A Tang Person Hits his friend called Ju" and "Dancing Figures" from the Tang Dynasty. Look around at the Confucius Temple area for pretty ivory carvings. Most of the big department stores also sell this kind of thing.

Wood Carvings
Nanjing wood carvings include the imitation wood carving and boxwood carvings. The former is plain in color, with the horse and Buddha's carving being the most popular. The latter mainly depicts animals and figures.

Yuhua Tea

Nanjing's Yuhua Tea is said to be one of the ten renowned tea categories in China. The green and erect tea leaves are considered a metaphor for the spirit of patriotic soldiers, giving the tea the name of this patriotic memorial place. The tender leaves are processed with great care and have a delicate appearance and fresh taste. The tea is said to protect against food poisoning, refreshing the body, quenching thirst and cleansing the system. It is often presented as a gift to friends.

Jinling Gold Leaf

The gold leaf produced in Nanjing is very thin and has a long history dating back to 420 A.D. Gold is a symbol of supreme respect of power. Chinese artifacts and antique artwork such as architectural ornaments, religious statues and utensil are often gilded with a thin layer of gold leaf. This traditional hand-made technique has been passed down from generation to generation. In the Yuan Dynasty, the gilding technique was widely used for clothes, ornaments, architectural decorations and even as a medical ingredient. The gold-thread clothes excavated from a 400 years old tomb of a Qing officer proved that the city was an important production centre of the gold leaf. Gilded paintings, bookmarks, statues and other gold leaf products are available in many stores throughout Nanjing.

Yuhua Pebble

Nanjing's Yuhua Pebbles are scented stones which make for a peculiar tourist souvenir. It is said that the stone is tough quartz, chalcedony, and precious gems.The Yuhua Pebble is commonly called as "the colored agate of rain". Apparently to appreciate this rock, you must examine its color, line, quality, and shape. It is said that in 1955, among the grave products of the Neolithic Age explored in Nanjing, the Chinese found 24 Yuhua pebbles (meaning there is at least 5000 years behind these rocks). Designers and craftsman have made masterpieces by using Yuhua Pebble as raw materials such that people from around the world praised it as a new talent in the realm of art and literature in jade carving.

The main shopping streets in Nanjing include the shopping area near city central area in Xinjiekou, Hunan Lu in the northern part of the city near Xuanwu Gate and Taiping Nanlu, and Fuzimiao area in the south. There are also many dazzling department stores selling all kinds of brand name items throughout Nanjing's commercial areas. Please read

Xinjiekou

As the central landmark of the city, the downtown area of Xinjiekou is both the transport and business center of the city. Hotels including Jinling Hotel, a metro station, public buses and other tourist facilities provide tourists with the convenient accommodation and access to every corner of the city. Department stores, brand-name stores, and large shopping centers in this area sell dazzling world-famous brands.

Fuzimiao Market

This all-round wholesale center is the retail source for many shops and stores. You can find anything here ranging from socks to electronic toys. Although a wholesale market, even an individual customer coming to buy a T-shirt won't be refused entry.

Hunan Lu

Located right inside the Xuanwu Gate of the city's ancient wall in the northern part of the city, there is an east-west road called Hunan Lu. This road ranks as the second most popular road in Nanjing after Xinjiekou. The beautifully decorated road has hundreds of clothing shops, department store,s and restaurants with the famous Shiziqiao Food Street in the middle. It is a good place for both shopping and taking guests out for dinner.

Taiping Nanlu

Walking eastward from the Xinjiekou Crossing you find Taiping Nanlu, an avenue running north - south to Zhongshan Donglu. The avenue is a home to brand name shops selling a variety of items from gold and jade ornaments to home appliances.

Culture Street - Changjiang Lu

Science Tech Street - Zhujiang Lu

Further northward from Changjiang Lu is a parallel street dotted with stores and shops selling all sorts of electronic products including MP3, pocket appliances, video records, computer peripherals, speakers, and so on. Also known as Zhujiang Lu Science-Tech Street it is said to be the largest of its kind in Eastern China.

Antique Market – Chaotian Gong

Chaotian Gong (Palace) was originally established in the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) as a school for educating noble children in court etiquette. The buildings house a range of local institutions from an antique market to a qigong (a Chinese Martial Arts) institute. Now, the market is a meeting place for many Chinese antique collectors some of whom run small businesses at their own stalls. Come and search for some treasure trove. One thing you should bear in mind is that the sellers are very convincing. Don't part with your money unless you are able to tell the real things from the fakes.

Jinling Department Store

East to the five-star Jinling Hotel, the Jinling Department Store is a home to worldwide brands. A selection of clothes, leather, cosmetics, watches and fine jewelry are offered to satisfy shoppers.

Gold Eagle International Shopping Center

The Gold Eagle International Shopping Center located on No. 89 Hanzhong Road in Nanjing, is a huge mall offering international standards where famous international and domestic brand merchandises including daily-use articles, jewelry, men's and ladies' wear, and electrical household appliances are sold.

Central Mall

The Central Mall located on No. 79 Zhongshan South Road in Nanjing is good for shopping, sightseeing, catering, amusement and leisure. In addition to selling and producing general merchandise, vendors and supplies here also have the business right to import and export goods.

Xinjiekou Department Store

The Xinjiekou Department Store located in Xinjiekou in Nanjing sells some 50,000 kinds of commodities.