What would a 13 year old want from China?

[Timefortruth]

My son's father is going to China on business. The boy wants something special, but doesn't know what to ask for that isn't cheesy. There are lots of valuable girl things, jade, pearls etc. but is there anything a boy would want to keep?

[JVS]

1. Pirated video games

[Timefortruth]

2. We're thinking keepsakes here.

But he does have a list of games ready!

[JVS]

3. Kung-fu equipment. Fireworks. Inexpensive electronics

Many of the most sacred objects of teenage boydom are from China

[Timefortruth]

4. But is there anything of lasting value as a keepsake he'd want? nt

[JVS]

6. The Kung-fu stuff. Can you get him a big old Buddha or a brick from...

the great wall?

[chenGOD]

31. Please do not get him a brick from the Great Wall...

There's no need to contribute to the destruction of one of the Seven Wonders of the World...

On reading again, I wonder if JVS' post was some form of humour, as it came along with the "big ol' Buddha"...

I have no idea what to get him, as I don't know your son. But I'd say get him something that might challenge his expectations...

[Pert_UK]

30. Fireworks....'cause flying into the US with explosives is SO easy!

:evilgrin:

P.

[shugah]

23. pirated anime!

[Richard D]

5. Without a doubt

A 13 year old cute Chinese girl.

[name not needed]

7. You're probably right

[Timefortruth]

9. Can his father bring her home in his suitcase

and explain she is for his son at customs?

[greatauntoftriplets]

8. An abacus. The original calculator

Or a chop (see link below). I haven't been to China since 1982, but I imagine you can still have them made to order.

http://www.zengifts.com/chops.htm

Much easier to buy for a girl re jade and pearls.

Good luck!

[Timefortruth]

10. Good idea.

Any others?

[greatauntoftriplets]

14. everthingsxen below has a good idea.

Check the museum shops. Not sure what they have now, it's been 22 years since I've been.

My nephew was two at the time, I bought him a great Chinese kite. Not sure if a 13-year-old would like one, though.

[everythingsxen]

11. How about....

a Terra-Cotta Warrior? Or at least a replica of one...

[Timefortruth]

12. That is neat.

It would be cool to actually go.

[Mizmoon]

13. My teen son has a jade pendant

He doesn't wear it but he keeps it wrapped in a cloth in a special box. He thinks it's cool. It's some kind of kung fu thingie.

Maybe something like that?

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

15. Political Freedom?

[Timefortruth]

16. Now would he bring that with him or take it back?

The world is spinning too fast to know which is what.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

22. Oh, I don't think we have sunk to Chinese levels yet

At least, if we have, then it is very, very quiet.

[BringEmOn]

17. Lucy Liu

[ott]

18. Native art

Painting, carving, sculpture, maybe a wood chest.

Whenever I travel I like to pick up a piece of art reflecting the culture. Thirteen seems old enough to appreciate something like that.

[barackmyworld]

19. ELECTRONICS!!!

omg, there are the most amazing electronic-y things for cheap. I recommend a laser pointer, voice recorder (great for 13 year old pranks) or something else with buttons and interesting functions. Seriously. I went to China when I was 14 and I loved that shit.

[barackmyworld]

20. ohh something more long-lasting?

then make it cool quality electronics--a 13 year old would love a digital camera or something like that.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

26. Electronics for the Chinese market won't work here

China uses 220V electricity, for one thing.

[chenGOD]

32. errr, power transformers/adaptors? eom

[Richard D]

21. Seriously now.

I spent three months in China, well, a long time ago. When you look in the gift shops, there is a lot of stuff that doesn't look all that great. Much of it would be great to own and display over here. Something about the saturation of too much jade under florescent lighting I think. I wish I'd bought a lot more.

[NamVetsWeeLass]

24. Katana

Sharp and Shiny... These are a few of my favorite things....

[Lydia Leftcoast]

27. They're Japanese

:-)

[NamVetsWeeLass]

33. don't care, still sharp and shiny LOL

[Placebo]

25. A BABY PANDA!!!!!!!!

You can pick them up on streetcorners there, pre-packaged and just yeeeeeeearning to please their new master!

[onebigbadwulf]

28. Porn - lots of dirty chinese porn

Every 13 year old boy's dream come true.

[Pert_UK]

29. I bought a "chop" in Shanghai - personalised signature stamp....

It's great.....

The Chinese historically (and sometimes still do) use them instead of signatures on cheques, at banks, on contracts etc.

It's basically a piece of jade with an animal carved in the top (mine's a tiger 'cause I was born in the year of the tiger). On the bottom the chop salesman will carve your name in Chinese characters, English or both. Many shops / market stalls have a little book of Chinese equivalent (or at least phonetically equivalent) Chinese symbols for Western names.

Believe it or not, I have actually got a "chop" with "Pert" carved into it and the Putonghua (Mandarin) characters that phonetically sound roughly like "Perta". My Chinese friend checked, and it does actually say that, not "wanker" or "capitalist dog" or anything.

Chops usually come in a small, neat presentation box with a small pad of red ink in a china dish.

Mine cost about £2 but you can pay anything from 30p to many pounds for them.

The print looks similar to this:



but the English writing has clearly been written on afterwards - mine is part of the red/white print.