Chinese Emporium

What to take back as a present from China? 
Chris took us to a traditional emporium; a squat square block  of 6 or 7 floors, housing shops of a particular specialist range of goods on each floor. The top floor was traditional medicine with apothecaries mixing, grinding and distilling powders and potions. I did not enquire as to the ingredients too closely. Red and gold gift display boxes of artfully arranged Ginseng roots though hung the walls in profusion each with a certificate of provenance and efficacity. As the King of Tonics they are a very popular Spring Festival gift.
However, I did not go down that line and descended to the next floor which housed the tea merchants. Under Chris's watchful eye I  bought a pumpkin shaped brown teapot with bamboo leaves moulded around the spout. Tea though had me floundering in between rows of sacks and boxes where you could by pounds of dried leaves by the scoop or at the other end of the scale investment boxes , that like fine wine, were for keeping not necessarily drinking and changed hands for £100'.s. And then there were the colours, green, white, black, red and all the variety within those, as well as herb teas. Then of course each one needed special treatment with just the right temperature of water, numbers of washes and length of time for steeping,  It was all a bit stressful until I came upon this miniature pond on one of the counters where the tiny inhabitant seemed quite content with just gulping down uninfused cold water.