Memories of Shanghai: 7 Foolproof Souvenirs from the City

Golden Week, one of China’s longest and most anticipated holidays, runs from Tuesday, October 1st until Monday, October 7th this year, with a make-up day on Saturday, October 12th. 

Many of us are understandably excited… Perhaps you have friends, family or loved ones paying you a visit from out of town or you yourself are headed home for the holidays. Maybe you’re even reading this from abroad, and will be making your first or a return trip to Shanghai. Welcome!

Commemorate your time in Shanghai or gift a piece of the city to someone dear with a unique souvenir. From classic candy like White Rabbit to modern must-haves like locally-distilled gin and a city-exclusive candle, here’s what we’re stuffing into our suitcases...

1

Inspired by and created as a tribute to American magazine The New Yorker, which is known for its artsy covers. 

The Shanghairen is more than just a coffee table book — it’s a tangible reminder of Shanghai’s multifaceted nature.

This collaborative project launched by Benoit Petrus and Vicki Jiang involves a diverse range of artists both local and international, so you gain a fresh perspective through different sets of eyes and see the city anew.

Cover art for The Shanghairen by Sebastian Correa, Xinmei Liu, Southisland, and Feng Yu

Prints of some of the individual artworks are also available.

2

Aptly named after pinyin, the romanisation system for Standard Chinese, Pinyin Press bridges the gap between China and the rest of the world via the power of design.

Driven by founder Sarah Armstrong’s desire to provide her family in Scotland with glimpses of her life abroad, Pinyin Press produces ceramics, homeware, and apparel that reflect everyday life in China. Armstrong draws inspiration from cultural symbols such as dumplings, martial arts, finger counting, et cetera to come up with fun and quirky Shanghai souvenirs.

A consistent theme among their products is baozi, and one dumpling that’s largely associated with Shanghai are soup dumplings or xiaolongbao. 

A wide range of products, from ceramic salt and pepper shakers to adorable kids apparel, are shaped like or emblazoned with dumplings galore.

3

A lot classier than gifting someone a city-specific Starbucks mug (no offence to the coffee chain!), the City Collection candles by French perfume house Diptyque embody the essence of 11 different cities with specific smells.

While the Pékin (Beijing) candle smells of sandalwood and magnolia to evoke strolling through the heart of an imperial temple, the Shanghai candle takes cue from the hour of the tea ceremony with top notes of osmanthus and tertiary notes of green tea. 

Think of this candle as an olfactory portal to Shanghai.

TIME OUT TIP: Diptyque’s  City Collection candles are so popular that customers are limited to five pieces per single order.

4

First crafted in the garden of an old lane house on Julu Road, Julu Gin was created out of a desire to celebrate China's vast array of spices and herbs without compromising the spirit's traditional essence. Today, it is distilled in custom-built copper stills on Chongming Island, and blends juniper, a standard ingredient in gin, with lesser-used Chinese botanicals.

Both Julu Gin products — Julu Dry Gin and Silk Road Gin — are made in small batches, with each boasting its own distinct flavour profile: light citrus, spices and juniper in the former and and vanilla in the latter. Furthermore, the bottles’ creative visuals are inspired by traditional Jinshan folk art, and look great in any home bar. 

Gift someone the experience of the Silk Route with this fantastic pour. 

5

If you missed our Instagram giveaway in collaboration with artist Gareth Fuller, gift yourself a print of the same pen and ink drawing. 

As far as maps of Shanghai go, few can match up to the crazy genius of this one.

A labour of love, it is the culmination of a 900 kilometre walk around the city, as the artist strove to document the city while speaking to architects, historians and other pedestrians. 

This one deserves pride of place on your wall.

6

Art and history, including an abundance of Art Deco, can be found in every nook and corner of this city. Now, imagine being able to literally take home a piece of this port city…

These tiles can be framed and displayed as standalone pieces of art or literally be fitted into the fabric of your home. 

7

You cannot possibly have thought we’d wrap up this list without mentioning Shanghai’s White Rabbit candy or Dabaitu Naitang (大白兔奶糖) .

Even if you didn’t grow up eating it, give it a chance, and you’ll get the hype. Soft, chewy, milky and sweet, it is the taste of nostalgia to millions.

While the original White Rabbit candy is available worldwide, you can get them in more than 15 flavours — from wasabi to coffee — in Shanghai! 

Get a mixed bag and play ‘guess the flavour’ with your friends. 

All images are courtesy of the respective establishments or sourced via public platforms. This article is not to be replicated without prior consent.