What to Buy in Xi'an (西安)
The ancient capital offers Tang-dynasty crafts — terracotta warrior replicas, shadow puppets and calligraphy supplies.
6 must-buy souvenirs
Terracotta Warrior replicas 兵马俑复制品
Miniature clay warriors from the same loess as the originals. Museum-certified replicas come with a number and certificate.
📍 Terracotta Army museum shop
Shadow puppets 皮影
Leather shadow puppets with hand-carved patterns — Xi'an's oldest folk art, now a collector's souvenir.
📍 Shuyuanmen street
Paper-cuts 剪纸
Intricate red paper-cutting, a Shaanxi folk tradition — lightweight and easy to frame at home.
📍 Shuyuanmen street
Tang tri-color pottery 唐三彩
Glazed Tang-dynasty-style camels and horses in amber, green and white — replicas made in nearby kilns.
📍 Xi'an craft shops
Stone-mold flatbread 石子馍
Crunchy flatbread baked on hot stones — a rustic Shaanxi snack that keeps for weeks.
📍 Food markets and supermarkets
Calligraphy sets 文房四宝
Brushes, ink stones and rice paper from Xi'an's bookstore street — for anyone learning Chinese calligraphy.
📍 Shuyuanmen bookstore street
Shopping Tips
- ·Buy terracotta replicas from the museum shop or kilns near the site, not from street hawkers at the parking lot.
- ·Shuyuanmen culture street is the best place for calligraphy, paintings and souvenirs.
- ·Stone-mold bing (shizimo) is a crunchy, packable local snack.