Nestled in southwest China’s hinterland, Guizhou features crisscrossing landscapes and a humid climate. Its unique natural endowments and multi-ethnic cultural blend have fostered numerous distinctive local specialties, from fragrant tea and mellow wine to characteristic snacks and exquisite handicrafts. For visitors to Guizhou, prior knowledge of these specialties enriches the travel experience and allows them to take home the region’s unique charm. Below is a detailed overview of classic Guizhou products to help visitors make informed purchases and savor authentic local flavors.
Fragrant Tea: Taste Guizhou’s Famous Tea Products
Guizhou has inherent advantages for tea planting, including “high altitude, low sunshine, low fog, and slightly acidic soil”. Its unique geographical environment endows the tea here with a strong aroma and mellow taste, making it an important production base of high-quality tea in China. When it comes to what famous tea products Guizhou has, the following are absolutely classic and not to be missed by visitors, each with its unique flavor and applicable scenarios:
- Duyun Maojian: One of China’s Top Ten Famous Teas, with a rich orchid aroma, suitable for visitors who love fresh green tea
- Meitan CuYa: A representative of flat green tea, with a fresh highland taste, allowing visitors to experience tea picking interaction
- Fenggang Zinc-Selenium Tea: Rich in trace elements, with strong health-preserving properties, suitable for health-conscious visitors
- Duyun Maojian: One of China’s Top Ten Famous Teas, renowned for its rich orchid aroma and fresh taste
- Meitan CuYa: A representative of flat green tea, with a fresh highland flavor, allowing visitors to experience the fun of tea picking
- Fenggang Zinc-Selenium Tea: Rich in zinc and selenium trace elements, an excellent choice for health preservation
Duyun Maojian: A Premium Green Tea
One of China’s Top Ten Famous Teas, known for its eight major characteristics: “slender, round, smooth, straight, rich in white hairs, strong aroma, mellow taste, and green soup”.
Produced in Duyun City, Qiannan Prefecture, it is made of carefully selected fresh leaves, only picking one bud and one leaf or one bud and two young leaves. It goes through multiple processes such as fixing, rolling, shaping, and drying. The finished tea has tight and curly strips like snails, with a green and glossy color with white frost; after brewing, it has a high and long-lasting aroma, a fresh and sweet taste, and a clear and bright soup color.
Purchasing Tips: It is recommended to choose regular tea plantations or large supermarkets, and check the origin label and production date; high-quality Duyun Maojian has obvious white hairs and a fresh aroma without impurities.
Duyun Maojian, a representative Guizhou tea and one of China’s Top Ten Famous Teas, originates from Duyun City, Qiannan Prefecture. Made from carefully selected young leaves via processes like fixing and rolling, it features curly, green-glossed strips with white frost. Brewed, it offers a long-lasting orchid aroma and fresh-sweet taste—must-try for green tea lovers. For authenticity, buy from regular tea plantations or supermarkets and check origin labels and production dates.
Meitan CuYa: Fresh Taste of Highland Green Leaves
Produced in Meitan County, the “China Tea Sea”, it is a classic flat green tea with high content of tea polyphenols and amino acids, a fresh and mellow taste, and health benefits.
The production process is exquisite. The finished tea is flat, smooth, straight and neat, with a green and glossy color; after brewing, it has a fresh and rich aroma, a fresh and mellow taste, a light green and bright soup color, and tender green and uniform leaves. The scenery of Meitan Tea Sea is beautiful, making it an ideal place to experience the integration of tea and tourism.
Experience Tips: When visiting Meitan Tea Sea, you can personally go to the tea garden to experience tea picking and buy freshly made tea, which can not only ensure the quality but also gain interactive fun.
Produced in Meitan County, Zunyi (known as “China Tea Sea”), Meitan CuYa is a premium flat green tea with exquisite craftsmanship. The finished tea is flat, smooth and green-glossed; brewed, it offers a fresh, rich aroma, mellow taste and light green clear soup. Grown at high altitudes, it has high tea polyphenols and amino acids, boasting both great flavor and health benefits. Visitors to Meitan Tea Sea can experience tea picking and purchase freshly made CuYa for an authentic highland tea taste.
Fenggang Zinc-Selenium Tea: A Healthy Choice Rich in Trace Elements
Grown in soil rich in zinc and selenium, it has both unique taste and health value, making it an excellent choice for health-preserving tea.
Produced in Fenggang County, Zunyi City, the tea has tight and thin strips and a green color. After brewing, it has a strong and long-lasting aroma, a mellow and sweet taste, and a clear and bright soup color. Zinc and selenium elements have positive effects on human immune regulation and anti-oxidation, and are deeply loved by health-conscious people.
Quality Identification: When purchasing, priority should be given to products with the “Zinc-Selenium Tea” geographical indication product certification to ensure that their trace element content and quality meet the standards.
Fenggang Zinc-Selenium Tea is produced in Fenggang County, Zunyi City. The soil here is rich in two trace elements beneficial to the human body: zinc and selenium, so the tea grown here also has unique nutritional advantages. The tea has tight and thin strips and a green color. After brewing, it has a strong and long-lasting aroma, a mellow and sweet taste, and a clear and bright soup color. Fenggang Zinc-Selenium Tea not only has a unique taste but also is highly favored by health-conscious people because it is rich in trace elements. When purchasing, visitors can choose products with the “Zinc-Selenium Tea” geographical indication product certification to ensure their quality and nutritional value.
Warm Reminder: Most of Guizhou’s tea is green tea, which has high requirements for freshness preservation. After purchase, it is recommended to store it in a sealed container in a cool and dry place, avoiding direct sunlight and humid environments; if stored for a long time, it can be kept in the freezer of the refrigerator.
Guizhou’s tea
Mellow Wine: Classic Wines Not to Be Missed
When it comes to Guizhou’s famous products, alcohol is undoubtedly the top priority. Guizhou’s unique climate, soil and water source conditions have nurtured many world-famous wines, covering various styles such as sauce aroma and unique medicinal aroma, which are suitable for both gifting and personal consumption. The following are the core varieties carefully selected for visitors:
- Kweichow Moutai: A model of sauce-flavored liquor, national wine level, suitable for high-end gifting
- Dongjiu: Unique medicinal aroma, national famous wine, rich in cultural atmosphere
- Xijiu: Sauce flavor, affordable price, the first choice for mass consumption
Kweichow Moutai: The Supreme Elegance of China’s National Wine
A model of China’s sauce-flavored liquor, renowned at home and abroad, it is one of Guizhou’s most representative famous products, with extremely high collection and gifting value.
Produced in Maotai Town, Renhuai City, Zunyi City, it uses local red sorghum and wheat as raw materials, adopts the unique “12987” brewing process (one-year production cycle, two feedings, nine steamings, eight fermentations, seven extractions), and is blended after more than five years of storage. The finished wine is clear and transparent in color, with an elegant and delicate aroma, a soft and mellow taste, a long aftertaste, and a lasting fragrance in the empty glass.
Purchase Warning: The supply of genuine products is tight. Be sure to purchase through regular channels such as official flagship stores and authorized dealers to eliminate the purchase of counterfeit and shoddy products.
Produced in Maotai Town, Zunyi, Kweichow Moutai is a world-renowned model of Chinese sauce-flavored liquor. Using local red sorghum and wheat, it adopts the unique “12987” brewing process and is blended after over five years of storage. The finished liquor boasts clear transparency, elegant aroma, mellow taste and long aftertaste. As a iconic Guizhou specialty, it’s a popular souvenir, but genuine supply is tight—buy via official flagship stores or authorized dealers to avoid fakes.
Dongjiu: A National Famous Wine with Unique Medicinal Aroma
One of China’s Eight Famous Wines, it created the unique “Dongxiang” aroma. It incorporates dozens of precious Chinese herbal medicines in the brewing process, with a distinctive style.
Produced in Donggongsi Town, Zunyi City, it uses sorghum and wheat as raw materials and is brewed with precious Chinese herbal medicines. The finished wine is clear in color, with a complex and unique aroma, combining the mellow aroma of grain and the elegant aroma of Chinese herbal medicines, with a smooth and soft taste and a sweet aftertaste. The packaging is simple and elegant, with a strong cultural atmosphere.
Purchasing Suggestions: You can choose products of different specifications according to your own needs. It is recommended to purchase in regular shopping malls or official authorized stores of Dongjiu to ensure the authenticity of the quality.
Produced in Donggongsi Town, Zunyi, Dongjiu is one of China’s Eight Famous Wines, featuring a unique “medicinal aroma” style. Its brewing process is distinctive: using sorghum and wheat as raw materials, it incorporates dozens of precious Chinese herbal medicines to form the exclusive “Dongxiang” aroma. The finished liquor is clear, with a complex blend of grain mellow and herbal elegance, a smooth taste and sweet aftertaste. Packaged simply and elegantly with rich cultural appeal, it’s an excellent gift. Choose products of different specifications based on needs and purchase from regular malls or official authorized stores.
Xijiu: A High-Quality Choice with Sauce Flavor
Located in the core production area of sauce-flavored liquor in the Chishui River Basin together with Maotai Town, it shares the superior brewing environment, with pure sauce flavor and affordable price.
Produced in Xijiu Town, Xishui County, Zunyi City, it uses red sorghum, wheat and Chishui River water as raw materials, follows the traditional sauce-flavored brewing process, and is blended after long-term storage. The finished wine is slightly yellow and transparent in color, with an elegant and delicate aroma, a smooth and soft taste, a long aftertaste, and a typical sauce flavor.
Product Recommendation: Pay attention to core product series such as Jiaocang Series and Jindian Series. You can choose according to taste preferences and budget, which are suitable for daily drinking and ordinary gifting by the public.
Xijiu is produced in Xijiu Town, Xishui County, Zunyi City, which is located in the core production area of sauce-flavored liquor in the Chishui River Basin together with Maotai Town, sharing the unique brewing environment. Xijiu uses red sorghum, wheat and Chishui River water as raw materials, follows the traditional sauce-flavored liquor brewing process, and is blended after long-term storage.
The finished Xijiu is slightly yellow and transparent in color, with an elegant and delicate aroma, a smooth and soft taste, a long aftertaste, and a typical sauce flavor. Compared with Moutai, Xijiu is more affordable, making it an excellent choice for the general public to taste Guizhou sauce-flavored liquor. When purchasing, visitors can pay attention to Xijiu’s core product series, such as Jiaocang Series and Jindian Series, to ensure the purchase of products that meet their own tastes.
Liquor
Unique Flavors: Enjoy Local Delicacies
Guizhou’s food culture is rich and colorful, with a wide variety of featured foods, each full of strong local flavors. These featured foods are not only the daily diet of local people but also an important carrier for visitors to experience Guizhou’s customs. They can be divided into three categories according to flavor and attributes, making it convenient for visitors to choose according to their needs:
- Spicy Condiments: Unique flavor, easy to carry, suitable for visitors who love spicy taste
- Traditional Pastries: Sweet and crispy, diverse tastes, a popular choice for gifting relatives and friends
- Cured Products: Rich flavor, long shelf life, reflecting Guizhou’s rural customs
Reference for Classification of Featured Foods: Spicy condiments, traditional pastries, cured products. Visitors can choose the appropriate variety according to their carrying needs and gifting objects.
Guizhou Laoganma: A World-Famous Spicy Condiment
A world-famous spicy condiment brand with stable flavor and wide application scenarios, it is a must-have condiment for home and travel and a best-selling souvenir.
Founded in Guiyang City, its classic product is Laoganma Flavored Douchi Chili Oil. It uses high-quality chili, douchi, rapeseed oil and other raw materials, and is made through traditional processes, with a unique flavor of fragrance, spiciness, freshness and mellow. It can be used for mixing noodles, mixing rice, stir-frying dishes, etc., and is versatile and practical.
Purchase Tips: Laoganma is sold in supermarkets and convenience stores all over Guizhou. You can choose different series (such as Spicy Chicken Dice, Spicy Three Dices, etc.) according to your own taste. The packaging is simple and easy to carry.
Laoganma is a household name among Guizhou’s featured foods. Founded in Guiyang, it specializes in spicy condiments, with its classic Flavored Douchi Chili Oil being the most popular. Made from high-quality chili, douchi and rapeseed oil via traditional processes, it boasts a unique flavor of fragrance, spiciness, freshness and mellowness, suitable for mixing noodles, rice or stir-frying. Its simple, practical packaging makes it easy to carry, a best-selling souvenir for visitors. Available in supermarkets and convenience stores across Guizhou, visitors can choose different series based on their tastes.
Guizhou Laoganma
Zhenning Bobo Candy: A Sweet and Crispy Traditional Pastry
A traditional Guizhou pastry with a history of hundreds of years of production. It has a delicate and crispy taste, melts in the mouth, is sweet but not greasy, and is suitable for all age groups.
Produced in Zhenning Buyi and Miao Autonomous County, Anshun City, it uses glutinous rice, white sugar, sesame, peanuts and other raw materials, and is made through multiple processes such as boiling sugar, pulling sugar, and coating with powder. The packaging is exquisite and diverse in specifications, easy to carry and store, and is a classic souvenir.
Experience Recommendation: When traveling in Zhenning County, you can visit old-brand workshops, watch the production process of Bobo Candy, and buy freshly baked products to feel the authentic traditional flavor.
Zhenning Bobo Candy, a traditional Guizhou pastry with a centuries-old history, is produced in Zhenning Buyi and Miao Autonomous County, Anshun City. Made from glutinous rice, sugar, sesame and peanuts via processes like sugar boiling, pulling and powder coating, it boasts a delicate, crispy texture that melts in the mouth—sweet yet non-greasy. Exquisitely packaged in various sizes, it’s easy to carry and an excellent souvenir. Visitors to Zhenning can tour old workshops to watch its production and buy freshly baked Bobo Candy for an authentic taste.
Weining Buckwheat Crisp: The Fragrant Taste of Highland Buckwheat
A featured pastry in western Guizhou, made from highland buckwheat, it has both rich fragrance and health value, suitable for both sweet and salty tastes, with a unique flavor.
Produced in Weining Yi, Hui and Miao Autonomous County, Bijie City, it is made by mixing white sugar, lard, walnut kernels and other auxiliary materials, kneading dough, filling, and baking. There are many varieties and rich fillings. The outer skin is crispy, the inner filling is delicate, the fragrance of buckwheat is strong, and it is rich in nutrition.
Purchasing Skills: Priority should be given to local old-brand brands to ensure the freshness of the products; you can choose sweet taste (such as rose filling) or salty taste (such as ham filling) according to your taste preferences.
Weining Buckwheat Crisp, a featured traditional pastry in western Guizhou, is produced in Weining Yi, Hui and Miao Autonomous County, Bijie City. Made mainly from local buckwheat flour mixed with white sugar, lard and nuts, it undergoes kneading, filling and baking. Available in sweet and salty flavors with diverse fillings, it boasts a crispy outer skin and delicate inner filling, rich in buckwheat aroma. Benefiting from buckwheat’s nutrition and unique taste, it’s both delicious and healthy. Choose local old brands for guaranteed quality when purchasing.
Congjiang Xiangzhu Cured Pork: A Delicious Cured Treasure
Made from Guizhou’s unique Congjiang Xiangzhu (fragrant pig) as raw material through traditional processes, it has tender meat, is fatty but not greasy, has a rich flavor, and is a treasure among cured products.
Congjiang Xiangzhu is a unique breed in Congjiang County, Qiandongnan Prefecture. It is famous for its tender meat, delicious taste and rich nutrition. Congjiang Xiangzhu Cured Pork is made from Congjiang Xiangzhu meat through traditional processes such as salting, marinating, air-drying and smoking. The finished cured pork is bright red in color, has a rich aroma, tight meat quality, is fatty but not greasy, and lean but not dry. It can be steamed, boiled or stir-fried, with a unique flavor.
Carrying Suggestions: Purchase from local farmers’ homes or regular agricultural product markets. Priority should be given to vacuum-packed products, which are easy to carry and store for a long time, avoiding moisture and deterioration.
Congjiang Xiangzhu, a unique breed in Qiandongnan’s Congjiang County, is renowned for tender, delicious and nutritious meat. Congjiang Xiangzhu Cured Pork is made from this pork via traditional processes like salting, marinating, air-drying and smoking. The finished product features bright red color, rich aroma, tight texture—fatty but not greasy, lean but not dry—with a unique flavor, making it a premium Guizhou cured product. Visitors to Congjiang can buy authentic versions from local farmers or regular markets; vacuum-packed options are recommended for easy carrying and storage.
Ingenious Craftsmanship: Handicrafts Interpreting Folk Beauty
Guizhou is a multi-ethnic area. In the long-term production and life, various ethnic groups have created many exquisite handicrafts. These famous products are not only carriers of ethnic culture but also have collection and gifting value. The following three are from different ethnic groups, each with its own characteristics:
- Danzhai Batik: Traditional Miao craftsmanship, blue and white art, with a long history
- Guizhou Miao Embroidery: Handmade by Miao women, bright colors, unique stitching
- Yuping Xiao and Di: Traditional Dong musical instruments, exquisite craftsmanship, melodious sound
Danzhai Batik: A Thousand-Year-Old Blue and White Art
A traditional Miao handicraft with a history of thousands of years. It mainly uses blue and white as the color scheme, with exquisite patterns full of ethnic customs. It is a famous product with both practical and artistic value.
Produced in Danzhai County, Qiandongnan Prefecture, it uses pure cotton cloth as the carrier, beeswax as the resist-dyeing agent, draws exquisite patterns on the cloth with a bamboo knife dipped in beeswax, then puts it into an indigo dye vat for dyeing, and heats it to remove the wax after dyeing to form blue and white interlaced products. The patterns are taken from landscapes, flowers and birds, folk legends, etc. The products include aprons, tablecloths, bags, etc.
Interactive Experience: In Danzhai County, you can enter batik workshops, experience the production links such as drawing and dyeing, and buy hand-made batik products, which have higher collection significance and commemorative value.
Produced in Danzhai County, Qiandongnan Prefecture, Danzhai Batik is a millennia-old representative of Guizhou’s traditional Miao handicrafts. Using pure cotton cloth and beeswax as resist-dyeing agent, it involves drawing exquisite patterns with a bamboo knife, indigo dyeing, and wax removal to form blue-and-white interlaced works. Patterns, mainly inspired by landscapes, flora, fauna and Miao legends, are intricate and full of ethnic charm. Product types include aprons, tablecloths and bags, ideal for collection or gifting. Visitors to Danzhai can tour local workshops, experience batik making, and purchase authentic products.
Guizhou Miao Embroidery: The Colorful Essence of Ethnic Groups
Handmade by Miao women, it has diverse stitching methods, bright colors and exquisite patterns, embodying Miao’s historical culture and myths and legends, with strong artistic appeal.
Widely spread in Miao-inhabited areas such as Qiandongnan and Qiannan, the stitching methods include dozens of types such as flat embroidery, seed embroidery, braid embroidery, etc. The patterns are taken from natural scenery and ethnic culture. The products include clothing, pouches, shawls, pendants, etc. Each product is a unique work of art.
Purchasing Suggestions: When traveling in Miao villages, you can buy hand-made Miao embroidery directly from local Miao women, which can not only obtain authentic products but also support the inheritance of ethnic culture.
Guizhou Miao Embroidery, a traditional craft by Miao women, is widely popular in Qiandongnan, Qiannan and other Miao-inhabited areas. It is renowned for bright colors, exquisite patterns and diverse stitching techniques (e.g., flat embroidery, seed embroidery). Patterns, mostly derived from Miao’s history, myths and natural scenery, boast strong ethnic traits and artistic appeal. Product types are rich, including clothing, pouches and shawls—each a unique handcrafted artwork. Buying directly from local Miao women in villages ensures authenticity and supports ethnic cultural inheritance.
Yuping Xiao and Di: Melodious Musical Instrument Treasures
Traditional Dong hand-made musical instruments, national intangible cultural heritage, with exquisite production craftsmanship, clear and melodious tone, and both practicality and collectibility.
Produced in Yuping Dong Autonomous County, Tongren City, it uses local unique water bamboo as raw material, and is made through dozens of processes such as material selection, roasting, hole drilling, polishing, and painting. The appearance is simple and elegant, with strong penetration. It is not only a musical instrument but also an exquisite handicraft.
Gift Selection Tips: Suitable for gifting to relatives and friends who love music. In Yuping County, you can visit Xiao and Di production workshops to understand the production process. When purchasing, you can try playing to feel the tone quality.
Produced in Yuping Dong Autonomous County, Tongren City, Yuping Xiao and Di are centuries-old traditional handcrafted musical instruments and national intangible cultural heritage. Made from local unique water bamboo via dozens of elaborate processes, they feature simple elegance, clear melodious tones and strong penetration, serving as both musical instruments and exquisite collectible handicrafts. Visitors to Yuping can tour workshops to learn about their production and purchase authentic pieces for music-loving friends and relatives.
Guizhou Famous Products Purchasing and Carrying Guide: Let Good Things Travel with You Smoothly
After understanding what famous products Guizhou has, mastering scientific purchasing and carrying methods can make good things travel with you smoothly. The following provides detailed guidelines for visitors from three core links: purchasing, identification and carrying:
Purchasing Skills: Authenticity Assurance is the Core
Purchasing Principle: Priority should be given to regular channels, and products from irregular sources should be eliminated to ensure quality and rights.
- Recommended Regular Channels: Large supermarkets, official flagship stores, brand authorized dealers, local old-brand workshops. Avoid purchasing from mobile stalls or unknown online stores.
- Key Points for Label Inspection: Carefully check the product’s origin, production date, shelf life, quality inspection certificate and other labels to ensure complete and standardized information.
- Preparatory Suggestions: Understand the basic knowledge of famous products such as tea and alcohol in advance, or consult local residents and tour guides to accurately choose according to your own needs and tastes.
When buying Guizhou’s specialties, choose regular channels (large supermarkets, official flagship stores, authorized dealers, old-brand workshops) and avoid mobile stalls or unknown online stores to avoid fakes. Check product labels (origin, production date, shelf life, quality certificate) to ensure quality. For tea and alcohol, learn basic knowledge in advance or consult locals/tour guides to choose suitable products.
Carrying Notes: Safety and Convenience are the Priority
Carrying Core: According to the characteristics of different famous products, choose appropriate packaging and carrying methods, abide by transportation regulations, and avoid product damage or violations.
- Alcohol Products: They are flammable liquids. They need to be checked in when taking an airplane (abide by the quantity and specification limits of the airline). They can be carried when taking high-speed rail/train but with quantity limits. Be sure to package them well to prevent leakage.
- Tea and Food: Need to be stored in a sealed manner to avoid moisture, deterioration or contamination by odors. Priority should be given to vacuum packaging, and sealed containers can be carried for auxiliary storage.
- Handicrafts: Batik and Miao Embroidery should avoid extrusion and folding; for fragile items such as Yuping Xiao and Di, choose hard-shell packaging and do a good job of protection to prevent damage during transportation.
When carrying Guizhou’s specialties, choose appropriate methods based on product characteristics. Alcohol, as flammable liquid, requires check-in on planes (follow airline limits) and has quantity restrictions on high-speed rails/trains—ensure proper packaging to prevent leakage. Tea and food should be sealed (prefer vacuum packaging) to avoid moisture or odor contamination. Protect batik, Miao embroidery from extrusion, and use hard-shell packaging for fragile items like Yuping Xiao and Di.
Explore Guizhou’s Famous Products and Experience Regional Customs
Guizhou’s famous products are rich and diverse, each carrying the local natural endowments and ethnic culture. From the fragrant Duyun Maojian and Meitan CuYa, to the mellow Moutai and Dongjiu; from the unique Laoganma and Bobo Candy, to the ingenious Danzhai Batik and Miao Embroidery, each famous product is worth tasting and exploring by visitors.
Understanding what famous products Guizhou has can not only allow visitors to gain rich souvenirs during the trip but also deeply experience Guizhou’s regional customs and cultural charm. It is hoped that the introduction in this article can provide practical reference for visitors who are about to embark on a trip to Guizhou, allowing everyone to take away the unique memories and beautiful tastes of this land while traveling in Guizhou.
