With Love, Wuhan

Ruth Chan curates a list of handy and unique gifts that will brighten the day of your loved ones.

uhan is home to many mouthwatering delicacies and intricately carved trinkets. Since you’ve traveled this far from Singapore to visit this beautiful city, it is only natural for you to want to share a piece of Wuhan with your loved ones back home. Why not pick out the most authentic souvenirs Wuhan has to offer?

For the taste buds:

Wuhan flower wine

Price: 48 yuan for 300ml (SGD9.60)
Where to find: Hu Bu Xiang (户部巷)

This is an authentic Wuhan wine with flavours that include mulberry, osmanthus, rose, and sakura. The sweetness of the mulberry balances the bitter aftertaste of the alcohol.

Hubei’s 15 Little Treats

Price: 36.80 yuan (SGD7.36)
Where to find: East Lake

If your friends or family are a fan of duck meat and spicy food, then this is the gift for them! As you take your first bite, the initial subtle hint of spiciness will slowly intensify. The meat is extremely tender but be careful of the bones.

For keepsake:

Turquoise

Price: varies, depending on the grade. Ranges from as low as 40 yuan (SGD8) per gram to 1000 yuan (SGD200) per gram.
Where to find: various places, including Han Zheng Street (汉正街) and Ji Qing Street (吉庆街).

Hubei is the birthplace of turquoise. Mr. Wu, a precious stone carver, said that the more distinct the colour of the turquoise, the better the grade, and hence, the more expensive it is.

Feather Fan

Price: 30 yuan (SGD6) for those found on Ji Qing Street, range of prices starting from 10 yuan to 188 yuan (SGD2 to SGD37.60) for those found in Gu Long Zhong (古隆中).
Where to find: Ji Qing Street, and Gu Long Zhong.

According to a famous legend, a crane from the Heavenly Palace was expelled to Earth as a punishment for theft. She turned into a pretty but cunning lady to seduce Zhu Ge Liang(诸葛亮) , the Prime Minister during the period of the Three Kingdoms (220AD to 280AD). Zhu Ge Liang made a fan out of a crane’s feathers to remind himself that he should not let his guard down too easily, otherwise he would not go far in life. This feather fan, as seen in the picture, is handmade in a village in Wuhan.