The most populous minority people in Guangxi is Zhuang people. Females are skilled to make embroidery balls (Xiu Qiu) and trained to throw them at very young age. After the age of majority, they will have their chance of a lifetime to throw this ball to the guy that she likes. The guy who is lucky and catches the ball will be her man. This traditional event is celebrated every year and lasted until now. Young females are very good at throwing embroidery balls so that she will not miss her "target".

    Each ball costs about RMB1 to RMB3, depending on the size, embroidery and material. As for material, you can have velvet or silk. Females go get it for your loved ones or for decorative piece.

    Local goods

    There are also a few things not usually available elsewhere:

    1£®Postcards and picture books of the area, in stores or hawked by older women on the street

    2£®Chinese paintings of the local Karst scenery

    3£®T-shirts with Chinese characters with different slogans, such as "I have no money" or "Foreigner coming, Foreigner going"

    4£®  Hard Rock Cafe T-shirts are common, but there is no Hard Rock in Yangshuo

    5£®  Some places with great names ¡ª Red Capitalism Cafe, Outside Inn, Fawlty Towers ¡ª do not have T-shirts, unfortunately

    6£®  Silver and embroidery pieces by local minorities.

a)         Prices for large pieces are high, but some pieces may be worth them.

b)         Small pieces, such as embroided Zhuang minority love balls, are also available

    Other interesting things

    On Die Cui Lu about half a block from the river is Nature House selling various rocks. Some are interesting geological specimens; others are carved and/or painted. Fascinating.

    In the same block as Nature House are a couple of upscale women's clothing stores more interesting than others in town. Gorgeous stuff, but at a price.

    There is a used bookstore and reading room ¡ª with a large selection in English and some books in several other European languages ¡ª at Cafe Too, formerly on West Street, now in larger space at 5 Pan Tao Road. Prices are higher than at used bookstores in Western countries, but cheaper than new books. You can buy coffee and read them free. For people living in China and missing Western books, they have a web site [4] and mail-order service. Owner is Johnny Lu, email johnnylu668@yahoo.com, mobile 13237831208.

    CDs and DVDs are available at three stores on West Street and one on "New West Street" near the bus station. Nearly all such products in China are unauthorised copies, but these look real. General quality, especially the packaging, is far better than the usual. Many come with booklets of lyrics or artist biography. Some have full-colour advertising printouts for the label's other offerings; I cannot imagine a "pirate" duplicating that. Selection is also good; the English music is not all Backstreet Boys and the Carpenters. Prices are also higher, 15-25 RMB versus 6 or 8 for the cheap copies all over China. The store nearest the top of West Street has better prices, but the others are only slightly more and have music it doesn't.

    Lots of western and Chinese DVDs are available, for 8 RMB per disc. Mainly movies, but also some box sets of popular series, at the shop on New West Street. These are of course "pirate" copies, available all over China.