What to buy
Sichuan Province, located in southwest China, is boasted as the "Land of Abundance." In addition to its natural beauty and giant panda sanctuaries, there are a number of local specialties on offer to tourists, ranging from delicious food to exquisite handicrafts.
-- Hot Pot Soup Base (火鍋底料)
Hot Pot is one of the most famous and popular meals in Chinese cuisine. Among all kinds of hot pots across the country, Sichuan Hot Pot is undoubtedly No. 1. A hot pot soup base is important for a successful hot pot. When travelling in Sichuan, you can find numerous brands of them with various flavors.
--Qingcheng Xueya Tea (青城雪芽)
Qingcheng Xueya is a green tea plant grown near the famous Qingcheng Mountain in Dujiangyan City of Sichuan Province. As one of the most famous green teas in the country, Qingcheng Xueya was initially produced during the Song Dynasty (960-1279).
Known as Qingcheng Snow Bud in English, the tea leaf grows on the peak of mountain, higher than 2,000 meters above sea level. Through special processing techniques, the bud becomes fat and curly in shape and has a tender and lasting flavor with a lingering sweet aftertaste.
--Emeishan Zhuyeqing Tea (峨眉山竹葉青茶)
Grown on Sichuan’s Emei Mountain, Zhuyeqing tea or bamboo green tea plant is relatively young compared to other famous Chinese tea plants. It was discovered by former Chinese foreign minister General Chen Yi in 1964.
The tea grows in the cool, thin air at a high elevation and is surrounded by vast bamboo forests. Its leaves are flat and straight, which look like a bamboo shoot. It is glossy green in color, and has a fresh and sweet taste with an aroma that hints at brisk bouquet.
--Sichuan Embroidery (蜀繡)
As one of the four great Chinese embroidery styles along with Suzhou, Hunan and Guangdong embroideries, Sichuan embroidery or Shu Xiu in Chinese can be traced back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD).
Shu embroidery is typically done using colorful threads and soft satin fabric produced in Sichuan Province. Different patterns feature flowers, birds and other animals, people and nature beauty. A Shu embroidered piece may include hundreds of thousands of stitches in a single figure or animal, and may take many weeks or even months to complete.
--Sichuan Brocade (蜀錦)
With a history of more than 2,000 years, Sichuan brocade or Shu Jin in Chinese is produced in Chengdu City, the capital of Sichuan Province. Shu Jin together with Yun Jin (Nanjing brocade), Song Jin (Suzhou brocade) and Zhuang Jin (Guangxi brocade) make up the four famous brocades in China.
As early as the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Sichuan brocade was exported overseas to Japan and as far as Persia. Sichuan brocade features various colors and a unique technique for extracting colors from plants. Several hundred designs are used by people from various ethnic minority groups in southwest China. Silk-woven but durable, the brocade has a soft feel.
