'Love nang' a souvenir of affection from heart of Xinjiang

Moments after boarding my plane in Urumqi bound for Beijing, I was still clutching to my chest a rather unusual package, wondering if it would even fit in the overhead compartment.

It was circular and flat, wider than the car tires on your average sedan, and more than 2 kilograms in weight－too heavy for the plastic bags around it, leaving one set of handles in tatters. Through the layers of plastic bags and the pink brocade covering, I could feel how a few small pieces had already broken off inside. This led me to grip it even tighter, worried it might not survive under the weight of someone's carry-on suitcase.

After all, this was not your typical souvenir, but rather－as my colleagues had dubbed it－a stack of "love nang".