Wood for the tea

The art of illusion is alive and well in the work of one Yangzhou artisan, who creates seemingly tasty souvenirs to celebrate the local zaocha culture, Cheng Yuezhu reports.

Yangzhou is a city in Jiangsu province renowned for its long history, picturesque scenery, laid-back lifestyle and zaocha culture. Literally translated as "morning tea", zaocha offers locals the prospect of a pleasant morning spent sipping aromatic tea and sampling tasty delicacies.

However, tourists find it tricky to take these fine, fluffy steamed bites hundreds of kilometers away as gifts for friends and family. This has led one Yangzhou craftsman to come up with a novel solution to address this minor disappointment.