Sichuan is well-known as the land of abundance. Both the tea and silk produced in Sichuan have been added to Top Four List of China since ancient times. Besides the tea and silk, some other local products are listed below. You might be interested in.
Tea
The history of tea planting in Sichuan could be traced back to the Western Han Dynasty. Wu Lizhen, a Taoist master started tea planting in Ya’an area about 2,200 years ago. Ya’an used to be the start of the Ancient Tea and Horse Path. It is the primary growing area of Tibetan Tea. Since the Tang Dynasty, the tea produced in Ya’an has become noted all around the country. It is mentioned in a poem composed by Li Shangyin. Two lines of the poem goes that no tea in China is as tasty as the one produced in Mengding Mountain area and brewed with the water taken from Yangtze River. Nowadays, green tea is the leading products in both Ya’an and Leshan. The “Green Bamboo Leave” branded tea is produced in Leshan, is made of the fresh tea sprouts only gathered before April. It is currently quite famous in the world.
Embroidery and Brocade
Embroidery is one of the ancient handicrafts in China. Sichuan embroidery has become well-known for 2,000 years. It is one of the top four noted embroideries in China. Embroidery produced in Sichuan is made with soft satin and colored threads. It is outstanding for its varied stitches and vivid patterns. The other three noted embroideries in China include Suzhou embroidery from Suzhou, Yue embroidery from Guangdong Province and Xiang embroidery from Hunan Province. Suzhou embroidery is famous for its extremely delicate stitches, Xiang embroidery for its rich colors, and Yue embroidery for its complicated patterns.
The patterns on Sichuan embroidery are mainly chosen from local folk art, especially the traditional landscape paintings. Generally, the designs are composed with the patterns of flowers, birds, worms, fish, pandas and landscapes. The patterns are stitched by hand, and create a vivid three-dimensional effect. The fur and scales look quite real. You can see the individual hairs. For instance, the Panda patterns composed on a piece of silk cloth look so vivid that you may wonder if the pandas are always staring at you, wherever you walk around nearby. There is no ugly knot on the back. It feels smooth and soft when you touch it. The master piece of Sichuan embroidery is the so-called double-sided embroidery. It could be dated back to the Song Dynasty. The wonder is that the patterns on both sides are the same, and embroidered by hand on one piece of soft satin. The embroidery products include embroidered art paints, pillow covers, quilt covers, cushions, table-clothes, scarves and handkerchiefs.
Chengdu is also known as the Brocade City. Sichuan brocade is a soft and colorful silk product. It is called Shu Brocade. Sichuan was the earliest place to start raising silkworms. As one of the top four in China, Sichuan brocade has emerged and developed for more than 2,400 years. The other three famous ones are Yun brocade from Nanjing, Song brocade from Suzhou, and Zhuang brocade from Guangxi.
Local Bamboo Woven Products
China boasts a rich bamboo resource. There are more than 400 species of bamboo growing in China. Since ancient times, bamboo has been used widely in people’s daily life. As early as the Shang Dynasty(1600BC-1046BC), Chinese people started to use bamboo for making weapons and household articles. They also used the bamboo slips for writing, before paper was invented. As a kind of handicraft, bamboo woven products are more aesthetic than functional. Bamboo woven products include lanterns, flower basket, curtains, etc. Among those products, bamboo-thread porcelain is a miracle of folk art. There are various kinds of bamboo plants in Sichuan Province, but only one type of bamboo meets the need of weaving demand, which is called Cizhu Bamboo. It grows in the Qionglai Mountain where is also the major habitat of giant pandas. The porcelain is tightly wrapped by a cover. The cover is delicately woven with bamboo threads. At the end of the 19th century, the bamboo woven porcelains were sent to the Panama International Exposition for exhibition. Those bamboo porcelain won a silver medal.
Panda Souvenirs
As the homeland of giant panda, the whole city of Chengdu is decorated with panda patterns. Chengdu abounds with panda souvenir shops. The shops sell a variety of panda souvenirs, like panda dolls, panda hats, panda backpacks, etc.
Shopping Areas in Chengdu
Chengdu is a shopping paradise in western China. People enjoy their leisurely lifestyle in Chengdu by wandering around the shopping areas and having various street food. The leading Shopping areas are listed below.
Chunxi Road
Location: Chunxi Road, Jinjiang District, Chengd
Chunxi Road is located near the center of the city proper. As the most representative historical and busy pedestrian shopping street in Chengdu, Chunxi Road serves as a favorite shopping center for both foreign visitors and local people. There are many shopping malls and department stores selling various branded goods, like Lining, Converse, Nike and some others. Read more about Chunxi Road.
Jinli Street
Location: Jinli Street, Wuhou Distict, Chengdu
Jinli Street is well-known as the most romantic street in Chengdu. It lies nearby the famous Wuhou Shrine. With its local traditional styled buildings, Jinli street attracts a large number of visitors. You can find many souvenir stores, tea houses, cafes and restaurants in the folk street. Learn more about Jinli Old Street.
The Wide and Narrow Alley
Location: Kuanzhai Xiangzi, Qingyang District, Chengdu
Compared with Jinli Street, the Wide and Narrow Alley is less commercialized. It is one of the three original streets in Chengdu. The buildings could be dated back to the Qing Dynasty, about 300 years ago. The stores in the Wide and Narrow Alley are similar with the ones in Jinli Street. Read more about the Wide and Narrow Alley.
The Global Center
Location: the Global Center, North Section of Tianfu Grand Avenue, Wuhou District, Chengdu
The Global Center is the largest stand-alone building in the world, is the biggest shopping mall in southeastern Asia. The building is magnificent. It has become one of the landmark buildings in Chengdu. It does not only house a department store, but also a hotel, a 5D cinema, an ocean park, restaurants and cafes. Read more about the Global Center.
Songxianqiao Art and Antique Market
Location: Songxianqiao Art and Antique Market, Huanhua Road North, Qingyang District, Chengdu
It is also called Songxianqiao Antique and Art City. Known as the largest artwork market in southwestern China, Songxianqiao attracts art lovers with its special allure.
Related Articles:
Chengdu Travel Guide
Sichuan Travel Guide
Chengdu Attractions
Author: Tina Luo
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