The worst souvenirs from China are the ones sold directly outside the tourist sites. Mass-produced miniature terracotta warriors, plastic Buddhas, and keychains with Chinese characters. The best souvenirs are things that are genuinely made here, taste like here, or are significantly cheaper here than anywhere else. This list focuses on those. For haggling at markets: Haggling guide. For VAT refunds on larger purchases: VAT Refund guide.
Key Takeaways
- Tea is the best souvenir. Lightweight, authentic, cannot be bought at home. Buy from a tea shop.
- Silk: buy in Suzhou or at Shanghai’s fabric market. Tourist market ‘silk’ is usually polyester.
- Ceramics from Jingdezhen are China’s finest. Worth a dedicated trip.
- Moutai: official stores only. Fakes are everywhere.
- DJI and Xiaomi: genuinely cheaper in China. Check compatibility before buying phones.
- VAT refund: up to 11% back on purchases over ¥500. Claim it.
The Full Souvenir List
| Souvenir | Best Place to Buy | Price Range | Notes |
| Longjing (Dragon Well) green tea | Hangzhou tea shops | ¥80 to ¥500+ per 100g | Mid-grade ¥150 to ¥300 for 100g is excellent as a gift. |
| Pu-erh compressed tea cake | Yunnan specialist shops | ¥80 to ¥2,000+ | Ages like wine. Tell the shop your budget. |
| Tieguanyin oolong | Fujian tea shops | ¥80 to ¥500 | Floral and approachable. Very popular. |
| Silk scarf (genuine) | Suzhou or Shanghai Fabric Market | ¥200 to ¥800 | Do the burn test to verify. |
| Custom tailored clothes | Shanghai South Bund Fabric Market | ¥400 to ¥2,000+ | Allow 3 to 5 days for fittings. |
| Jingdezhen porcelain | Jingdezhen, Jiangxi | ¥100 to ¥5,000+ | China’s finest. Wrap carefully. |
| Moutai liquor (Feitian) | Official Moutai stores | ¥1,499 for 500ml | Official stores only. Fakes are everywhere. |
| DJI drone | DJI flagship store or Huaqiangbei, Shenzhen | ¥2,000 to ¥8,000+ | 10 to 20% cheaper than international. Check import rules. |
| Xiaomi electronics | Xiaomi stores nationwide | Varies | Accessories are safe. Check region lock on phones. |
| Paper cuts (jianzhi) | Xi’an, Beijing craft shops | ¥20 to ¥200 | Traditional folk art. Lightweight and authentic. |
| Calligraphy brushes and ink | Stationery areas in major cities | ¥30 to ¥500 | Good for anyone interested in art or writing. |
Tea: How to Buy Well
Tea is the souvenir where quality gap between a tourist market purchase and a specialist shop purchase is most dramatic. A tourist-area tea shop runs a tasting session, pours several cups, shows you a warm moment of hospitality, and then presents a price list where a small box costs ¥600. This is a performance designed to create a high-pressure buying situation. The China National Tourism Administration recognises Chinese tea culture as UNESCO intangible heritage. It deserves better than a tourist trap purchase.
Instead: find a dedicated tea shop away from the tourist circuit. In Hangzhou, the area around the West Lake tea plantation sells Longjing direct from producers. Tell the shop assistant your budget. Ask to taste two or three grades. A gift-quality Longjing for ¥150 to ¥250 per 100g is excellent.
Silk: The Burn Test
Pull three or four threads from the fabric and hold a lighter to them. Real silk burns slowly, smells like burning hair, and leaves a soft grey ash you can crush with your fingers. Polyester burns fast, smells of plastic, and leaves a hard dark bead. Do this test at any market stall before paying. Vendors in Suzhou and at the Shanghai Fabric Market expect it and do not mind.
Electronics: Shenzhen
Huaqiangbei in Shenzhen is the world’s largest electronics components market. DJI is headquartered in Shenzhen and their drones are 10 to 20% cheaper than international prices. Xiaomi accessories (cables, earbuds, cases, power banks) are excellent value and carry no compatibility risk. Phones are more complex: Chinese versions may have Google services replaced with Chinese equivalents. This is fixable but technical. If in doubt, buy accessories and leave phones.
Frequently Asked Questions
For how to negotiate prices at markets, see Haggling in China. For claiming VAT back on larger purchases, see VAT Refund Guide.