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Nanxun was once a region renowned for its silk weaving. Therefore, when visiting Nanxun, Jilihu silk is a top choice. The "Hu brush," named after Huzhou (Nanxun is under the jurisdiction of Huzhou), has long held a high reputation among the four treasures of the study. Furthermore, Nanxun's embroidery and knitting are both exemplary in Jiangnan, and with the addition of bamboo weaving, your trip to Nanxun is sure to be rewarding.
The main shopping destination for these local specialties is Water Village Street on Yuanlin Road. Numerous shops offer a wide variety of items, so it's best to bargain carefully after selecting your favorite. Tai'an Road and Tongxin Road, two of Nanxun Town's most luxurious commercial streets, are also popular shopping destinations.
While touring Nanxun Ancient Town, you can also buy packaged local specialties and snacks, primarily Nanxun's unique kohlrabi, wind-blown rice cakes, and smoked bean tea. Other items include Dingsheng cakes and tangerine peel cakes. Boxed kohlrabi costs 10 yuan, smoked bean tea and wind-blown rice cakes 8 yuan per package. Dingsheng cakes are 1 yuan each, and tangerine peel cakes are 5 yuan per package.
Nanxun also has newly-released loquats, cherries, bayberries and other fresh fruits; the most popular items sold in dry goods stores are dried bamboo shoots, fermented dried vegetables, ham and other country delicacies; those who like to drink can buy Nanxun wine specially made by Yufang in Nanxun Ancient Town (actually rice wine, packaged in a long bamboo tube).
Jili Lake silk is a specialty of Nanxun. Also known as "Jili Silk," it is the finest silk, named after Jili Village in Nanxun Town where it is produced. Historical records indicate that Jili silk was already renowned during the reigns of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty and Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty. In modern times, nearly one hundred wealthy silk merchants in Nanxun, known as the "Four Elephants, Eight Oxen, and Seventy Golden Dogs," prospered from this industry. The archives of the Nanxun Tourism Company still hold two rolls of Jili Lake silk, the only unsold pieces from 60 years ago, still as vibrant as ever. It can be purchased at the Water Village Street on Yuanlin Road.
Hu brushes are produced in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province. They are made of carefully selected materials and meticulously crafted, offering a wide variety of styles, ranging from as thick as a bowl to as thin as an embroidery needle. They are characterized by their sharpness, uniformity, roundness, and strength. "Sharp" refers to the pointy, tapered tip; "Clean" refers to the sharp, knife-cut tip after being flattened; "Round" refers to a round, full, and strong tip; "Strong" refers to an upright, springy tip. Hu brushes are classified into four categories: goat hair, wolf hair, mixed hair, and purple hair. Size also categorizes them into large, inch-sized, medium, and small-sized. Each sharp, pointed hair on the tip of a Hu brush is carefully selected from countless wool varieties, varying in thickness, length, hardness, curvature, and roundness, resulting in a sharp, uniform, strong tip, a fine tip, and pure, durable hair.
Huzhou Nanxun wine has a flavor similar to Shaoxing wine, but with a sharper, spicier flavor. It's best aged for over three years. Nanxun wine is a sweet rice wine, and the locals still preserve the original production process. It's available on Nanxun Wine Street, or at the Southern Song Imperial Winery (48 Nanxun East Street). Their wine is said to be aged for at least five years.