They do look like they might be fun.
Someone who lived in China and was working with the government to open up foreign trade in the 1990s once told me that it's customary and expected for a seller to exaggerate their claims on a product, usually to absurd levels when trying to sell you a product. The buyer expects this, and is suppose to counter those claims with insults to the product's quality.
Honorable Merchant: Good Sir, can I interest you in this Fine silk blouse? It was hand made by Buddhist virgins from enchanted silkworms who were hand fed lavender pedals and massaged thrice daily. See how the light shimmers off the sleeves? they capture moonlight and weave it into the fibers themselves. it will give you nice dreams and you will surely catch the eye of a rich lover in this! For you, I'll make a deal. One time only, 1000 Yen!
Honored Consumer: That Rag? I'll give you 500 Yen for it and I'll burn it for you, if you throw in a glove so I don't have to touch it.
Honorable Merchant: Good Sir, you wound me. Is this this not the most radiant Yellow coloring you have ever seen? They use a secret process to pull Sunshine into their dye pots and give the silk it's brilliant hue. Surely this is a great bargain at 800 yen!
Honored Consumer: It's the color of dog piss and smells much worse. this rag can't be worth more than 650 yen.
Honorable Merchant: Good Sir, that's low. My own mother is one of the virgins who wove this. My children are starving, and the landlord will evict us if I can't sell it for at least 750 yen!
Honored Consumer: 700?
Honorable Merchant: Yeah, all right. Cash or charge?
That's how the bargaining process goes. In that street market culture, If the seller didn't totally exaggerate their claims, it would be seen as a great insult to the buyer. It would be as if the buyer wasn't worth the seller's respect or time. The more elaborate and absurd the exaggeration, the more the seller has respect for the buyer, and is investing time and effort into selling the product.
Total opposite of our western culture. And when Chinese markets opened up to the rest of the world, it came as a huge culture shock to the Chinese that we were insulted by what they considered honorable business practices. Their market culture has changed much in the last 20 years, but it's such a part of their culture, that it may never be gone.
