Ranked by ‘will actually survive the flight home’ + ‘people genuinely want these’ – with price anchors and fake-spotting notes. Save it for your trip.
The Gift List Everyone Asks For
Ranked by ‘will actually survive the flight home’ + ‘people genuinely want these’ – with price anchors and fake-spotting notes. Save it for your trip.
Under $20 (Stocking Stuffers)
Fridge magnets of every landmark · Great Wall bookmarks · tea sampler tins · panda plush (the official base ones) · chopstick sets · paper-cut art (framed = instant gift) · phone charms from temple fairs.
$20-80 (Real Gifts)
Longjing gift tin (spring harvest) · mini pu-erh cakes (they AGE – the gift that improves) · silk scarves (Suzhou’s real ones – burn-test a thread: real silk smells like hair) · cloisonné boxes · jade bracelet (buy with our guide, not tourist shops) · tea sets · seal with your name carved.
$80+ (The Heirlooms)
Hand-knotted silk carpets (we source from workshops, not tourist mills) · bronze Shang-dynasty replicas (foundry-certified) · Yixing teapot from the master potters · embroidery panels · calligraphy by a working artist.
Fakes Cheat-Sheet
‘Jade’ that’s warm to touch + scratches with steel = glass. ‘Silk’ that stretches and stays = polyester. ‘Antique’ anything from a tourist street = replica (fine if priced as one – our souvenirs shop says so honestly).
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