Print Painting 版画
As China continues to develop rapidly, peasants in rural Chongqing have enjoyed a rising quality of life and an increasing income. Additional leisure time has led many villagers to seek out hobbies. Now, the art of print painting is widely practiced among the townspeople as both a marketable skill and a means of relaxation. And there is no lack of artistic genius here: over a period of ten years 874 works have been exhibited in the US, Japan, UK, Canada and Italy and over 600 works have become part of personal collections.
Changshou Pomelo 长寿沙田柚
The Changshou pomelo is probably the most famous fruit in Chongqing. Unlike some other pomelo hybrids, it is unusually succulent and sweet, with a rich honey fragrance. Most people associate this fruit with Malaysia, but it has grown for thousands of years in China. Today, pomelo has many culinary and medicinal uses.
Rongchang Paper Fans 荣昌折扇
It’s been almost 450 years since the first Rongchang paper fan was made in Southern China. Since then, the fan has enjoyed unique renown domestically and internationally as a symbol of the mysteries of the East. It is hardly surprising then, that hundreds of years ago the fans were exported to India and Burma. At first only the nobility could afford to buy the elegantly made fans. The past several decades have witnessed rapid innovation utilizing different materials to make the fans and the original few styles have now expanded into 345 different types of fan, available and affordable to everyone.
Shu Brocade 蜀绣
Shu brocade (also known as Sichuan brocade), soft in feel and flamboyantly colored (auspicious red dominates), has a history of over two thousand years, and it is one of the four best brocade textiles in the country. Once valued by the ancient Chinese as, “an inch of silk equals an inch of gold”, this fabric is now available to the public at much more reasonable rates.
Three Gorges Inkstone 三峡石砚
For travelers fascinated in Chinese calligraphy, a Three Gorges Inkstone or five would make excellent Chongqing souvenirs. Made from special stone excavated on the Libi Gorge section of Jialing River, these finely-shaped inkstones are delicately engraved with beautiful patterns. Inkstones are akin to empty ink jars, and were once used to mix ink. The flat part of the stone was filled with a thin layer of water, and an ink stick was ground down upon the stone to mix the two.
Gastrodia Elata 天麻
When discussing traditional Chinese medicine native to Sichuan, it’s impossible to exclude Gastrodia Elata (tianma), whose effects are known to ease eclampsia, a serious complication of pregnancy. Duck braised in Gastrodia Elata soup is one of the many medicinal health food dishes you might spot on Chongqing menus.
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