Chinese Souvenirs: Novelty Pencil Holders
Of all the things I packed home from China, this was the one souvenir that didn’t make it unharmed. His head broke off. My brother bought one, too, that didn’t survive the suitcase trip, either. I’m not sure if the airline’s treatment of our luggage is to blame or if it was the poor craftsmanship of Chinese toys. Probably both.
I know this isn’t a very Chinese-looking souvenir, but I wanted to mention it, because it highlights a popular trend in shopping in China: the novelty junk store. These little shops are everywhere and sell a strange assortment of jewelry, stuffed animals, cell phone toys, anime figurines, keychains, stickers, cutesy notebooks, and gag gifts. In other words, they’re a godsend to every Chinese girl and a bane to every Chinese boyfriend.
Toy Dogs Found in Chinese Walmart
The Walmart in Changzhou has always been a good source for amusing toys. They’ve had those Wii knock-offs in stock for quite a while. On my last visit there, however, I found something even better: packages of toy dogs mounting each other.
Haibao, Shanghai’s Expo Mascot
China’s next big event, which is receiving enough attention here to possibly be the second coming in disguise, is the Shanghai 2010 World Expo. Last year, statues of a cartoony blue guy started cropping up in different cities, Changzhou included, but I didn’t realize he was the official mascot for the expo until I went to Shanghai and saw the craze firsthand.
His name is Haibao, which means “treasure of the sea,” and, like the Fuwa from the Beijing Olympics, his likeness is being exploited throughout several official mascot merchandise stores. Seriously, they can fill up an entire store with just this guy. He comes in all sizes, from a small keychain to an enormous blow-up doll. Don’t get any ideas, now.
On Nanjing Road in Shanghai, many people have started selling knock-off Haibao dolls at a fourth of the price. All of these vendors come across as very nervous and fidgety, though, and will flee at the slightest hint of police presence. I guess the Shanghai government wants to crack down on the knock-off market. But wait a minute. At the same time on the same street, there are hundreds of nonchalant vendors pushing DVDs, watches, purses, bags, marijuana, and even prostitutes. Haibao dolls, though? That’s going too far.
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