Local Specialties of Lianyungang
1. Crystal Crafts
Donghai County of Lianyungang City is hailed as China’s "Hometown of Crystals". The local crystals are mainly white, and also come in smoky, tea, yellow, pink, purple and other hues. There are special varieties including rutilated quartz with hair-like inclusions, moss agate containing plant-shaped formations, and water bubble crystal with liquid droplets trapped inside.
Reminder from Xinxin Travel
It is worth noting that natural crystals are not necessarily more valuable than synthetic ones. Pure crystals are colorless and transparent; impurities will cloud their clarity. In fact, flawless natural crystals are extremely rare to find.
Where to Buy Crystals
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Donghai International Crystal Jewelry City
A large crystal market opens on the 3rd, 8th, 13th, 18th, 23rd and 28th days of each lunar month. Raw crystal gambling trading thrives here. Around nearly one hundred stalls operate raw stone trading each market day. The market opens as early as 6 a.m., crowds thin out after 10 a.m., and closes at about 1 p.m.
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Old Crystal Market Fair
This market opens on the 4th, 9th, 14th, 19th, 24th and 29th days of each lunar month. As renovation work is underway, the venue is cramped and disorderly. Nevertheless, it remains a bustling traditional trading hub for rough crystal stones.
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Crystal City Complex
The new and old crystal cities house thousands of crystal merchants. Their stores stock preliminarily sorted rough crystals, though at relatively higher prices.
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Small Crystal Workshops
Numerous family-run crystal workshops scatter across Donghai. You can hunt for fine raw crystals by visiting these private workshops. It is recommended to go with a local acquaintance to avoid unpleasant incidents.
2. Cloud and Mist Tea
Cloud and Mist Tea is a time-honored premium specialty of Lianyungang. In the 24th year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1898), local gentry including Shen Yunpei and Song Zhiji raised funds to develop the Yuntai Mountains and founded the Shuyi Company to cultivate Cloud and Mist Tea. The tea produced here won an award at the Nanyang Industrial Exposition.
3. Straw Weaving & Willow Weaving
Straw woven crafts claimed the third prize at the Paris World’s Fair a century ago. They rank among Lianyungang’s flagship arts and crafts products. Tens of thousands of locals engage in straw weaving processing, and the handicrafts are easy to purchase.
Willow weaving also boasts a long history. Works crafted by local artisans won the fourth prize at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in the 5th year of the Republic of China. Willow weavers create their products in underground cellars, which maintain stable temperature and humidity. Willow branches processed this way yield sturdy finished products resistant to breakage.
4. Kudzu Root Starch
Lianyungang kudzu root starch is made from wild kudzu roots harvested from the Yuntai Mountains by mountain villagers. The roots are cleaned, pounded, kneaded and stirred in water to separate starch, which is then settled and air-dried. When brewed with boiling water, it turns thick and translucent, instantly stimulating salivation.
Yuntai Mountain kudzu root starch contains puerarin, puerarin xyloside, daidzein, daidzin, beta-sitosterol, arachidic acid and other ingredients. It clears heat, lowers blood sugar, eliminates phlegm and promotes fluid production. Brewed kudzu starch relieves restlessness due to heat, thirst and sore throat. Kudzu roots, starch and flowers are also effective hangover remedies. Regarded as precious medicinal tonics, they sell well nationwide.
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