A lot of what you find in Chinese markets today is very functional and unappealing, but if you look carefully and spend some time searching, you can find some excellent examples of traditional handicrafts. The best known of course, is Chinese silk- plain, embroidered, in the form of clothing or just as lengths of shimmering, exotic material. You’ll also find samples of Chinese painting- a very distinctive style, with flowing, spare brush strokes and wonderful depictions of nature. Other than paintings, you can come across other items related to calligraphy - ink tablets, brushes and the like, often works of art in themselves.  

Get floored by the carpets (made in Tibet, Xinjiang and Tianjin) and jade and laquer items (some really lovely figurines, vases and such)- both usually quite expensive. In the more rustic, but cheaper bracket, are handicrafts like paper cuts, kites and rattan or bamboo items. Chinese ceramic is also well known, in fact, the use of the word ‘china’ is synonymous with fine porcelain or ceramics. Imitation Ming pottery, which looks very much like the original, can often be found in marketplaces. 

Outside of the larger cities in China, you’ll probably find it a little difficult to buy anything really fancy. However, even in the smaller towns, you might be able to find some good cloth- China is known for its silk and other knickknacks. In most of the bigger cities, you can usually find some very nice souvenirs to take back, including jade, antiques (remember, however, that you need a special permit to export anything more than a century old), items connected with Chinese art (paintings, obviously, as well as brushes, ink tablets and the like), and similar things. Beijing is generally considered to be the best place for shopping.