Elegant Xiling Painted Pottery, amongst the most famous ceramics in China, is a popular purchase. Fans of Chinese ancient culture should be on the look out for the so-called "four studying treasures", i.e. the writing brush, ink stick, ink slab and paper. Another local specialty is the Three Gorges Stone, featuring natural patterns, which local people believe have important symbolism. Sanxia oranges, wine and tea are also worth taking home.
Native Specialities
Chestnut
It is one of Yichang's traditional specialties and famous for its big,delicious and rich nutritious. Its reddish pulp contains many nutritious materials such as protein, fat, sugar, starch, high quality edible fiber and so on. Research shows that it has the function of improving blood circulation, building up constitution and prolonging life. The chestnut is well-known as "the King of Preserved Fruit".
Persimmon
It can be divided into two major types: edible persimmon and oil-persimmon. The edible persimmon contains many essential micro elements such as protein,fat,carbohydrate,calcium, phosphorus, iron and various vitamins. Cow-heart in shape, sweet and juicy, it has rich nutrition and medical value and can be made into persimmon cakes, persimmon sugar and many other products and also, it can be used as medicine. Oil-persimmon is an important raw material for chemical industry. The oil-persimmon series of products are exported to Japan, Hongkong and many other countries and districts.
Jinshui( Golden Water) Pear
It matures early,golden in color and big in size.The peel is thin, and the flesh is thick, crisp and juicy with fragrance. Sweet and sour, the golden pear is one of the excellent species introduced to Dangyang City in 1980s. Now, it is exported to Singapore.
Fragrant Mushrooms
The Fragrant Mushroom is among the most famous edible fungus and is regarded as the "Treasure of Nutrients". Besides wild grown, it can also be manly cultivated. The flesh is thick and looks bright in color with full fragrance and flower-like designs. It is of great medicine value and has the function of anti-tumor, against virus and can cure rickets deceases. As a staple in Chinese diet for centuries, it is also exported to many other countries and districts, like south Asia, Japan, Hongkong and Macau.
Black Muer (Fungus)
It has a function of moisturizing the lung and cleaning intestines and stomach, and has a special effect to help digest fiber－enriched food. Black fungus has also the effect to replenish qi and strengthen the body, to stop bleeding, relieve pain, enrich the blood and promote blood circulation. It is commonly used in Chinese traditional medicine to cure cold and damp type lumbago and leg ache, cramp and numb in hand and foot, hemorrhoids bleeding, dysentery, uterine bleeding and asthenia after childbearing and other diseases.
Kongjac
It is also called "Huagannanxing" and "Mayuzi". The kongjac is grown in mountain or hilly areas at the height of 500m above the sea level. It contains many nutritious materials, including 35% starch, 3% protein and more than 45% nutritive pectin.
The Kongjac bean curd, gray or brown in color, is a best dessert with unique flavor. Scientific studies also show that Kongjac has a special function on health-protecting and medical treatment. It can be successfully used in reducing the content of insulin and cholesterol in blood, regulating lipid metabolism, widening blood vessel, preventing arteriosclerosis, preventing and treating for diabetic, coronary heart disease, colon cancer, breast cancer and so on.
Changyang Straw Handicraft
Changyang hand-made straw products has long enjoyed good reputation for its novel pattern and reliable quality. The straw handcrafts produced in Changyang County not only possess high value of appreciation and collection but also has great practical use. There are more than 600 practical and tasteful assortments including car cushion, carpet, hand basket and so on. They are natural and mild, simple but elegant. They not only have the pure and delicate appearance but also tally with the environmental demands.
