Shopping in Guilin
Local Specialties and Souvenirs
Briefing
As a well-developed tourist city, Guilin is a good place from where the international tourists can buy some souvenirs for themselves and friends. From precious jewelries to authentic local products, you can easily find your favorite ones and take them home. The local specialties and souvenirs are listed below for your reference.
The Three Treasures of Guilin refers to Guilin Sanhua Liquor, Guilin Fermented Bean Curd and Guilin Chili Sauce. These three local products, with high reputation, can be seen in most of the supermarkets and local specialties stores.
Gingko, as one of the oldest kind of plants, is considered to be the living fossil. Guilin ranks the second place of the annual output of Gingko in China. Gingko is a healthy food that is good for stimulating the circulation of blood, moistening facial skins and chasing away wrinkles.
Luo Han Guo, also called Siraitia Grosvenorii, is a traditional Chinese herb with brown peel and sweet flavor. It is conducive to lower blood pressure, to treat faucitis and good for diabetics. It can be steeped in hot water and boiled with other ingredients, such as duck and chicken. Besides, other medicines made of Luo Han Guo are also popular.
Kumquat, with a sweet rind and acidic center flavor, can be eaten directly or be made into cookies, canned or squeezed for juice. Kumquat is rich in Vitamins C1, B1, B2, P, Ca, Fe and P etc. Besides, Chinese people buy kumquat tree as a potted landscape and they believe that the kumquat tree means fortune.
Lipu Taro, as a well-known local specialty, is famous for its delicious and soft taste and sweet scent. Lipu Taro, rich in proteins, Ca and vitamins, is good for man’s vital energy and internal organs. It is an ideal raw material for making drinks, refreshments, nutritious tonics and delicious local food, e.g. Steamed Sliced Pork Belly with Lipu Taro.
Guilin Water Chestnut is not only a kind of fruit, but also a vegetable. With sweet and crispy taste, Guilin Water Chestnut can be made into water chestnut paste, water chestnut panocha, canned water chestnut and water chestnut alcohol. Besides, water chestnut has a benefiting effect on strengthen the stomach and promoting digestion.
Sugar Cane, with a length of 1.5m to 1.8m, is one of the main winter crops in Guilin. Sugar Cane has a sweet and succulent taste and has effect on combating intoxication as a kind of sober-up tea.
Shatian Shaddock, which is rich in vitamin C, is tender, sweet with a light scent. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shatian Shaddock is helpful for curing cough and facilitating expectoration.
Other local products, such as chestnut, products made from sweet-scented osmanthus, persimmon and green tea are also worth trying.
Guilin Stones, with solid texture, bright color and peculiar shape, are formed in the unique geographic and climatic conditions. As a special decoration, it can remind you the wonderful sceneries that can be found easily in and around the mountains and waterways in Guilin.
Embroidered Ball, as one of the most featuring tourist crafts in Guilin, is considered as a token of love. The main colors of an Embroidered Ball are red, yellow and green. Women embroider it with bamboos, plum blossoms, orchids and chrysanthemums, which mean good luck in China. In ancient China, maidens threw the embroidered balls at the men of their dreams and whoever caught the ball would be the bridegrooms.
Other tourist crafts are also ideal souvenirs, such as some hand-woven crafts, bamboo and woodcarvings, jade ware, paper umbrellas, marble ware, knit ware, hand-painted folding screens, embroidery and so on.
Jewelry
Traditional Chinese jewelry wares, which are made of gold, silver, pearl and jade, are design with strong ethnic features. Necklaces, rings, earrings, pendants, broaches and bracelets are good choices for you. The shops below are listed for your reference.
Wanya Jewelry Co. Ltd. Exhibition Hall
Location: No.211, Lizhong Road, Guilin
Specialties: Gems production
Guilin Silver Dragon Jewelry Co. Ltd.
Jewelry Branch
Location: No.26, Qixing Road, Guilin
Specialties: Jewelry production & sales
Pearls Branch
Location: No.1, Chuanshandong Road, Guilin
Specialties: Pearls
Gaoxin Jewelry Company
Location: Hi-tech Development Building, Canluan Road, Guilin
Specialties: High-quality natural gems, jade wares and gold ornaments
Taifeng Branch
Location: No.18, Lijiang Road, Guilin
Specialties: Jewelry production
Silver Sea Pearl Branch
Location: Guixin Hotel, Qixing Road, Guilin
Specialties: Pearls
Guilin Pearl Museum
Location: No.3, Taohuajiang Road, Guilin
Specialties: Pearls
Ziyuan Pearl Company
Location: No.35, Xishan Road, Guilin
Specialties: Pearls
Jiashan Pearl Hall
Location: No.5, Taohuajiang Road, Guilin
Specialties: Pearls
Rundong Jewelry Company
Location: No.7, Dongjiang Road, Guilin
Specialties: Natural jade wares with elegant technique and profound traditional cultures
Treasure House
Location: No.18, Longyin Road, Guilin
Specialties: Professional appraisers appreciate jewelry for customers.
Paintings and Calligraphy
Guilin Landscape Painting plays a unique and important role in the area of Chinese Landscape Painting. In Chinese history, many artists have been famous for their Guilin landscape paintings, such as Shi Tao in the 15th Century, Qi Baishi, Huang Binhong, Xu Beihong and Li Keran in the 20th Century. At present, many Guilin Landscape Paintings painted by famous artists have been collected by government officials and celebrities, for e.g. President Obama and former presidents Clinton and Bush.
Huang Changdian Brush Pen, created in the reign of Xianfeng in the Qing Dynasty, is famous for its high-quality materials and elegant workmanship. More than 70 kinds of brush pens made of quality rabbit hair, wolf hair and wool will satisfy your needs.
Guangxi Normal University Arts Gallery
Location: In the Mansion of Prince Jingjiang, Guilin
Specialties: Paintings, Four Treasures of the Study (writing brush, ink stick, paper and inkstone), handicraft articles, gems and jade wares.
Guilin Municipal Gallery
Location: In the Nanxi Park, Guilin
Specialties: Paintings, calligraphy works, handicraft articles, etc.
Baguizhai Shop
Location: No.1, Ronghunan Road, Guilin
Specialties: Paintings, calligraphy works and tourist handicraft articles.
Guilin Antique Shop
Location: No.2, Ronghubei Road, Guilin
Specialties: Paintings, calligraphy works, porcelains, jade wares and handicraft articles.
Huang Changdian Brush Pen Salesroom
Location: No.55, Yiren Road, Guilin
Specialties: Huang Changdian brush pens and stationeries.
Daily Articles Shopping
Guilin Nikko Nikko Plaza
Location: No.187, Zhongshanzhong Road, Guilin
Tel: 0773-2819 449
Guilin Department Store
Location: No.14, Zhongshanzhong Road, Guilin
Guilin Wangcheng Department Store
Location: No.11, Jiefangdong Road, Guilin
Tel: 0773-2835 241
Guilin TOO Shopping Mall
Location: No.117, Huangchengxiyi Road, Guilin
Tel: 0773-3854 148
Nancheng Department Store
Location: No.26, Lijiang Road, Guilin
Tel: 0773-5841 168
Guilin Dream Island Department Store
Location: No.20, Zhongshanzhong Road, Guilin
Tel: 0773-2566 611 / 2886333
