What to buy
Tang-ga
Tang-ga is a sort of scroll painting with the main theme of Buddhism. It has distinctive ethnic features, using complicated lines and bright colors. Some of the Tang-ga has many colorful and charming portraits of Buddhas, while some reflect the Tibetan history and folk customs. It is often made either by painting, embroidery or sometimes sewn with pearls. The pearl Tang-ga is the most desirable one of all. The technics of Tang-ga is precision, balance and variety.
Tibetan Wooden Bowl
Those who have ever been to Tibet must be deeply impressed by the wooden bowls that the local people were using. Wooden bowls are the special article for daily use in Tibet. The locals compared wooden bowls to their lovers, carrying them momently. The Tibetans like them so much that they would use it to have dinner or drink, and because of its wooden material, the taste of the food keeps natural. Normally, the bowls are made in set, which contain three bowls: two big ones and a small one.
Tibetan Mask
Tibetan Mask, named “Ba” in Tibetan, is a kind of handcraft article evolved from the Tibetan opera and the religious art. Tibetan mask has a very high value of collection. It is divided into three types: the mask of Sorcerers of Dance, the Suspending mask and the mask of Tibetan opera. In Tibet, whenever the grand religious festival, there are sorcerers with the masks playing all kinds of dances.
Tibetan Aweto
It is a precious medicinal material with a strange name and a strange growth. It is the parasitical fungus in insect. The fungus enters into the body of an insect when it is an embryo, and grows up in the insect. The sporophore is slender, longer than the larva, deep brown, with longitudinal striae, and its top is elliptical, enlarged with numerous protruding granular peritheciums and soft and tough in texture.
Silver Ornaments
Tibetan bracelets are usually made of Tibetan silver and copper. With Sanskrit inscribed on, they seem unsophisticated and mysterious. Tibetan people wear crescent silver plate, which is a symbol of purity. And the agate and gems mounted in the silver plate connote blessing from the god, good luck and good health in life.
Where to buy
Barkhor Street
It is not only a famous shopping center but also one of major tourist attractions in Lhasa. Barkhor Street is located around Jokhang Temple. The buildings in the area are best preserved. There are more than 120 shops and 200 booths, over 1,300 businesses dealing with above 8,000 goods. All kinds of Tibetan handicrafts such as Tibetan carpets snuff pot, knives and mask can be found in the street. Some handiworks from India, Burma or Nepal can also be bought here.
Lhasa Department Store
It has all sorts of articles for sale including practical items like cotton clothing, towels, toothpaste and canned food. The interior is pleasant and open. Goods here are moderately priced. The department store has places for dining, recreation and a fitness center.
Address: No.1, Yutuo Road, left of the Potala Palace