Take Home a Piece of the Forbidden City ... Sort Of

Ah, the Forbidden City, that majestic symbol of Beijing. As much as we love it, the crowds and the sheer size can be wearing once the initial awe wears off and the thought of traipsing round just to pick up souvenirs for visitors is far from appealing. Luckily, you can now shop for Forbidden City-inspired gifts from the comfort of your own home via the palace museum's very own official Taobao store, as CRI reports. 

According to CRI, the most popular item is the beaded in-ear headphones, which will set you back RMB 120. Also on sale are imperial iPhone cases (RMB 24-49), flower-print portable battery chargers (RMB 79), and a rather fetching printed umbrella, designed to look like the inside of a temple roof (RMB 99). 

P.S. In case you're looking for an excuse not to buy beaded headphones, here's our recent guide to using Taobao without Alipay or a Chinese ID card!

More stories by this author here.

Email: robynnetindall@thebeijinger.com
Instagram: @gongbaobeijing
Twitter: @gongbaobeijing
Weibo: @宫保北京

Photos: Andy Enero (Flickr), Forbidden City Official Taobao Store