Good finds. Better informed.
Free advice to get your bearings. Detailed field guides for your next trip. Fresh shopping ideas for your inbox.
A little less planning. A little more finding.
A guide for your trip, or fresh ideas throughout the year.
Specific places, Chinese address cards and practical shopping plans to keep with you.
Full edition in preparation. No preorders.
Explore the guide ↗A considered selection of shopping ideas, useful places and details worth checking. In your inbox.
4 editions per month. Subscriptions open later.
Meet the newsletter ↗Start with the free guides
Small finds, thoughtful gifts, and a few things to buy carefully.
Find your favorite leaf before you commit to a whole tin.
A small cup, a good bowl, a ritual to take home.
Useful little things with a sense of place.
Follow the design you love. Check authenticity first.
A scarf that earns its place in your suitcase.
Find the piece you would never find by scrolling.
Useful gear starts with the right fit and a clear label.
The exact model matters more than the headline price.
Pick your destination
Independent design, specialist tea and museum gifts.
4 shopping stops · Read guide ↗北京Jasmine tea, silk, books and the tools of calligraphy.
4 shopping stops · Read guide ↗深圳Hands-on technology, independent books and electronics markets.
4 shopping stops · Read guide ↗广州Xiguan paper gifts and pastries, with contemporary retail in Tianhe.
4 shopping stops · Read guide ↗成都Tea, books, collection-inspired gifts and a compact central shopping area.
4 shopping stops · Read guide ↗杭州Longjing tea, silk, folding fans and copper craft.
4 shopping stops · Read guide ↗苏州Silk, sandalwood fans, museum design and traditional sweets.
4 shopping stops · Read guide ↗西安Calligraphy materials, museum design and contemporary Chinese craft.
4 shopping stops · Read guide ↗The useful little details
Keep the receipt
Which purchases qualify, what you need to keep, and what happens at the airport.
Understand your refund ↗Ready for the shop
Know what to ask before you pay, with useful phrases you can show at the counter.
Take the checklist ↗Heading home? Personal-use luggage is not automatically tax-free. Check your destination’s customs rules.