Not Your Ordinary Souvenirs

While many tourists are content to buy snacks, key chains, T-shirts and other typical souvenirs while traveling, some sightseers seek truly distinctive gifts to bring back home. Such visitors will have a lot on their plate in Taiwan, where a dazzling selection of handcrafted goods can be found.

One of the island's most renowned craft brands is LIULIGONGFANG. Established by the talented actress Loretta Yang and her partner, noted film director Chang Yi, the studio creates artistic Chinese glassware. Such products represent a revival of China's creative glass-making tradition, which dates all the way back to the 11th century B.C. but had virtually died out in modern times. LIULIGONGFANG's artisansrediscovered the lost-wax casting process for making crystal glass through painstaking effort, and the results are exceptionally brilliant.

Another ancient Chinese craft is porcelain.This traditional art form is alive and well in Taiwan at the Franz Collection workshop, where craftsmen make delicate porcelain pieces that integrate classical and modern, as well as Eastern and Western designs. The company's porcelain is sold in 56 countries, and in 2012 its founder, Franz Chen, was named one of Forbes China's "25 Influential Chinese in Global Fashion."

That's not all Taiwan has to offer in terms of remarkable gifts. Tourists will have their hands full trying to choose from not only artistic glass and porcelain, but also designer jewelry, handcrafted furniture and other unique crafts.

台灣伴手禮：精品篇

當許多觀光客滿足於在旅遊時購買零食、鑰匙圈、T 恤與其他常見紀念品時，有些遊客則在尋找真正有特色的禮物帶回家。這樣的旅客在台灣可有得忙了，因為這裡可找到一堆令人眼花撩亂的手工藝品。

這座島上最著名的工藝品牌之一是琉璃工房。由才華洋溢的女演員楊惠姍與其伴侶──知名電影導演張毅所建立的這間工作室創作了精美的中國風玻璃製品。這類作品代表了中國創意玻璃製造傳統的復興，這項傳統可一路追溯至西元前 11 世紀，但實際上卻於近代失傳。琉璃工坊的工藝師傅耗費心血重新找回製作水晶玻璃的脫蠟法工序，其成果格外耀眼。

另一個中國古代工藝品為瓷器。此傳統藝術形式活躍於台灣的法藍瓷工坊，裡頭的工藝師傅製作融合經典與現代、東方與西方設計的精緻瓷器。法蘭瓷的瓷器於 56 國銷售，且 2012 年時，其創辦人陳立恆名列《富比士》雜誌中國版「全球時尚界 25 華人」榜單。

台灣所提供的卓越禮品還不只這些。遊客會忙著挑選的不僅是藝術玻璃與瓷器，還有設計師珠寶、手工家具以及其他獨特的工藝品。