| As one of the first stops on the Silk Road Tianshui has long been
a distributing center for merchandise into western China. Although
business has dropped off since then, there are still a few goods here
that could make worthy presents.
The most famous product here is the Tianshui Lacquerware, that
bears lifelike depictions of figures, flowers, birds, and a variety
of other animals. The lacquerware is sooty in colour, and has the
peculiar characteristics of being resistant to heat and erosion
by either acid or alkali. As a result these wares are favoured by
the locals both for their artistic value and practicality.
Further products of note include the Tianshui carpets, depicted
above, and a further variant of the "Self-Illuminating"
Cup (Yeguan bei), that can be found throughout Gansu, especially
in Jiayuguan, and Zhangye. Local pharmacies and stalls are also
on hand to sell many herbal medicines, including ingredients such
as Codonopsis pilosula (Dangshen), Angelica (Danggui) and Rhubarb
(Dahuang).
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