Shannan Shopping

Shannan(Lhoka) Shopping Guide provides you with some information about local specialties to buy such as Thangka, Prayer wheel, Tibetan rug, saffron and the like. Shannan is always regarded as the one of the important destinations in the classical Tibet Travel. When you travel to Shannan, you can not only enjoy the beautiful sceneries, taste the delicious food, but also take many specialties home. Shannan(Lhoka) Shopping Tour is a great tourism route, which makes you forget to leave Shannan. Mysterious Tibet will introduce the main local products and solve the problem-what to buy in Shannan and where to buy in Shannan.

What to Buy in Shannan

Shannan is a place that many people yearn for, and some may only come here once or twice in their whole lives. While Lhasa is the political, economic, cultural and transportation center of Tibet, attracting a crowd of tourist from home and abroad every year. Therefore, in addition to taking beautiful photos and tasting authentic Tibetan food, most people will buy some souvenirs when they leave.

Religious Objects

Tibet has a long history of Buddhism. In Tibet, many people's lives are dedicated to Tibetan Buddhism. Religious customs are part of everyday life, from chanting mantras and prostrating in a local square to walking the "kora(转山)’ around a temple or sacred site. Therefore, religious objects are essential.

Tibetan Incense Sticks

In Shannan, even the entire Tibet, incense plays an inseparable role in people's daily lives, especially, the people who are dedicated to Tibetan Buddhism. Widely used for relaxation, meditation and the cleansing of the home environment, it has an aroma that often helps to calm and soothe restless minds. Incense is also widely used in Buddhist temples and monasteries, and people will burn incense in the temples while worshiping Buddha.

Tibetan Thangka Paintings

For people who want to visit Shannan and are interested in Shannan culture, they shall visit the monateries and temples to enjoy the gorgeous and educational Tibetan Thangka Painting. In general, the Thanka is painted by hand on silk or cotton. These bright, colorful paintings usually depict a Buddhist deity or other religious scene. Of course, the Tibetan Thanka Paintings can be the beautiful decorations.

Tibetan Prayer Wheels

The most common form of prayer wheels are hand prayer wheels, which consist of a metal cylinder and a handle which also serves as axis around which the cylinder can revolve, being set in motion by a small weight which is attached to it by a string or chain. The cylinder contains a paper roll on which Buddhist texts are printed. Apart from hand prayer wheels, there are large size fixed prayer wheels, which are often aligned around Buddhist shrines and are set in motion by pilgrims who circum-ambulate the building in a clockwise direction.

Among the best known religious souvenirs which you can carry back to your land from Shannan are the Tibetan Incense sticks, the Tibetan Thangka Paintings, the Tibetan prayer wheels, Tibetan Buddhas and the prayer flags.

Tibet Crafts

These traditional crafts are made from a variety of things including precious metals, natural materials and so on. Silver and copper are precious metals and natural materials are bamboo, wood and even bones. Tibetan handicrafts are very popular in the whole world. The crafts include Tibetan rugs, masks, daggers and conch shell trumpets and carpets and textiles.

Gyaca Stoneware(加查石制品)

Gyaca County is rich in graphite stone. This stone is soft and easy to cut and shape. Gyaca stone pots and stone bowls with beautiful shapes and patterns, they are famous local products in Shannan.

Cushion(卡垫)

The cushion is hand-woven with sheep wool. It is generally 2.5 feet wide and 5 feet long. It is used for cushioning in the seat. The cushion is compact and colorful, with dragons, phoenixes, deer and flowers as patterns. The cushion is rich in Tibetan art style, which is a well-known Tibetan handicraft.

Gyaca Wooden Bowls(加查木碗)

Gyaca Wooden Bowl is a long-established national handicraft in Tibet. It is unique in wood, exquisite in workmanship, beautiful in appearance and complete in variety. It is the best in the cooking utensils with Tibetan characteristics and the treasures in tourism crafts. The wooden bowls are divided into three sizes: large, medium and small. The colors are mainly red, yellow and white. The flower grades are mainly natural wood grain, Tibetan painting and so on.

Tibetan Carpet(藏毯)

Tibetan carpet is another highlight of all kinds of ethnic handicrafts in Tibet. It is also one of the world's three famous carpets. It is famous for its sophisticated production, rich ethnic and religious patterns, and the coloring of aesthetics. Tibetan carpets have different sizes and forms, such as noble and elegant, heavy and luxurious, carpet-like, and tapestry-style, all of which can be regarded as art.

Tibetan Medicines

Except for handicrafts and the other religious souvenirs, the medicines are also important things to test your shopping experience in Tibet. The Tibetan medicines are totally herbal but they work very fast unlike the modern day medicines. The Tibetan medicines like Saffron, aweto and snow lotus are the popular medicinal herbs that they use for curative purposes.

More about Traditional Tibetan Medicine

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Where to Buy in Shannan

Tourists can buy necessities and handicrafts from various scenic spots, hotels, stalls and crafts shops along the streets such as tapestries, carpets, bamboo articles, Tibetan-flavor cakes, musk, tendrilled fritillary bulb, Chinese caterpillar fungus, Gyaca wooden bowls, Gyaca apples, Gyaca walnuts, Qusum pads, and stone vessels from Dargo Village.

Popular Local Products Stores in Shannan

State-run Ethnic Local Products(国营民族土特产)
Add: No. 16 Nedong Road, Tsedang Town, Nedong District, Shannan City, Tibet Autonomous Region(西藏自治区山南市乃东区泽当镇乃东路16号)
Tel: (0893)7828211
Tibetan Family Local Products(藏家香土特产)
Add: Shop of Former Bus Station, Kelsang Road, Tsetang Town(泽当镇格桑路老客运站门面房)
Tel: /
Airport Tianruntang Local Products(机场天润堂土特产)
Add: No. S101(Youyi Road), Gonggar County, Shannan City, Tibet Autonomous Region (西藏自治区山南市贡嘎县S101(友谊路))
Tel: 18889037698

Supermarkets in Shannan

Baiyi Supermarket(百益超市)
Add: No. 15 Kelsang Road, Nedong District, Shannan City(山南市乃东区格桑路15号)
Tel: 13882152195
Airport Bargain Supermarket(机场平价超市)
Add: Next to Agricultural Bank of China in Youyi Road, Gonggar County, Shannan City, Tibet Autonomous Region(西藏自治区山南市贡嘎县友谊路农行旁边)
Tel: 13908983646
Huihao Department Store(Nedong Road)(惠好百货(乃东路店))
Add: No. 1 Nedong Road, Nedong District, Shannan City, Tibet Autonomous Region(西藏自治区山南市乃东区乃东路1号)
Tel: (0893)7825998
Gaoyuan Pengcheng Supermarket(高原鹏程超市)
Add: No. 29 Youyi Road, Jiazhulin Town(甲竹林镇友谊路29号)
Tel: 13989915886