Qianshan Bamboo Mats

Qianshan Bamboo Mats

　　Qianshan bamboo mats are also known as Shu mats. They are fine, thin, smooth, durable, resistant to wear, moth-proof, and easy to fold. A poem praises them: “Slightly cooler than bamboo mats,” and “Woven to withstand fragrant sweat.” The poet Bai Juyi wrote: “Though the sun is high, I still sleep behind the water window, with pillows and mats cool in the August air.” During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Shu mats gained fame both in China and abroad, being exported to many countries and regions including Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Singapore. In 1958, Qianshan County sent bamboo mats woven with patterns of the Tiananmen Gate and two lions competing for a ball to an exhibition in Beijing, where they received high praise. People described them as fine as silk tapestries, cool as ice, with exquisite patterns and superb craftsmanship. (Anqing)