Swapping has been happening for centuries. The first people didn’t buy goods from other people with money – instead they bartered; the exchange of personal possessions of value for other goods that you want. Livestock and agriculture were often used as a unit of exchange. We read about past-presidents and military men swapping gun powder for bullets, and hear about husbands swapping wives for the sake of argument. U.S. history told us of land being swapped in exchange for gold, and cattle being swapped for school books. And who can forget the folklore of Jack and his magic beanstalk swap? Swapping has been a way of life since before many of us had life, but today the act of swapping goods and possessions lives on.
On a recent trip to Shanghai, Swaptree stopped into Zhu Jia Jiao, renowned water village in Puxi, and one of the original ’swap markets’ in the world dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. We browsed through stores selling local produce and souvenirs along Great North Street and found the Swap Movement to be alive and plentiful even in small villages around the world.
Arriving the markets
Over the bridge and past the canal we landed at the beginning of Great North Street where the markets begin. Our first stop was at the tapestry booth, where handmade artwork hung from the walls and was neatly folded on tables. The tapestries were of typical Chinese landscapes and villages, and each one had a special Chinese symbol on the bottom right hand corner. Captivated by one scene of the water village, we walked away with a tapestry after bargaining the price for 100 Yuan (approximately $14 USD).
Tapestries and needlepoint
Further ahead we landed in the silk shop, where fans, scarves and drapes sat beautifully and boasting tremendous colors. The woman in the booth was more interested in my silk scarf than selling me one of her own, but I wasn’t ready to let go of my favorite accessory. Instead, I handed her a silk bag I purchased earlier in the week and she provided me with two silk fans – a fair swap, I think.
Silk fans and scarves
Further down the market the locals were preparing for lunch. The famous pork and banana leaf rolls were being made fresh on the side of the street (if you are into street food) and being offered for 10 Yuan for 3 rolls (about $3 USD total). We indulged in the delicacy and found it delightful! Banana leaves are stuffed with sticky rice and pieces of pork, and served as a starter at many Chinese dinner tables.
Making lunch
My favorite swap moment came after lunch, when I happened upon the pearl market. Not that pearl market… you won’t find Mikimoto pearls or cultured gems from Tiffany in this tank. Instead, you can press your pearl luck and grab an oyster. The man claims there are at least 30 pearls in each of his oysters, but the guesswork is finding the best pearl. For 10 – 50 Yuan, you can choose your oyster and dig for your treasure. It was a hot day in Shanghai and we had a few fans on us, so for one of our newly swapped fans, we grabbed one oyster.
Digging for pearls
In fact there were a few pearls in them! Having no idea what to do with them, and knowing we can transport the un-cultured pearls back to the U.S., we gave the pearls to the jeweler we met at the next store, and in exchange, he gave us two lovely necklaces – one with gemstones and one with a red coral center (in China, the color red is meant as good luck). Moving on…
Our last stop was one of the best — the book swap! Even in Shanghai, books are a hot swap item, and in the village of Zhu Jia Jiao there were plenty of books to be had. The shelves had everything from history books to popular fiction, to journals and leather-bound diaries. We walked away with four leather journals, two silk diaries, six mini-notebooks, and one book on the history of Chairman Mao.
Shanghai book swap
The total price: 50 Yuan (approximately $7 USD) and one banana leaf packed with rice and pork.
Swap.com Mobile is a free iPhone is app that lets you scan items into your HAVE and WANT lists, manage your account, see what you can get for your stuff, and participate in swaps.
