I’ve already brought up Changzhou combs before, but as part of my recent string of souvenir posts, now’s a good time for a revisit. They mean a lot to me, after all, since they’re one of the few unique handicrafts from the area. I loved going into the comb stores and browsing through their huge inventories. It was like being a kid again in a baseball card shop. The combs are apparently magical, too. From the pamphlet:
It has been proved by modern medicine that often combing one’s hair with this kind of combs can ease one’s headache and sleeplessness and can refresh one’s mind, combing one’s hair with this kind of combs can also make one hear and see well.
I bought and was given many a comb while in Changzhou, but the set pictured has the most sentimental value. It was from a student. He presented it to me the day after his classmates were total brats during our last lesson together. It was sad, because, in class, he tried so hard to get them to be quiet. They wouldn’t, of course, and I finally had to cancel the game and do mundane vocabulary drills. Though he never said it, the combs felt like an apology on his class’s behalf.
Hey, I bought them too, in Guangzhou. The girl there told me they represent Chinese four beauties: Xi Shi, Wang Zhaojun, Diao Chan and Yang Guifei.
Yeah, the four beauties are a common theme in the comb designs.
I have that same set. I met a sweet young Chinese woman online last April and when we met there, in Changzhou, in July, she presented me with it. I love it and will not use them for anything!
That’s funny. I was in Changzhou in July for the same reason!
i have 11 china combs that was bought in china that looks like the one that is shone .I would like to know if any one would know how much they are worth i would like to sell them if i knew they would bring enough
I looked up Chinese combs on eBay, and it seems like not many people are biting. I don’t think you would get a lot of money for them, but they do make great gifts.