Poli Red Mat

Poli Red Mat

Poli Red Mat is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　【Poli Red Mat】The red mat, also locally known as the sorghum stalk mat, is woven from sorghum splints. More than ten towns in Jiaonan County produce it. Poli was once a famous distribution hub for red mats, hence earning the title "Hometown of the Red Mat." As a result, the red mats produced in Jiaonan are also called "Poli Red Mats." The red mat has a long history in Poli, with legends tracing its origins back to the Warring States period, created by Sun Bin. After Sun Bin was injured in the leg, he stayed in the Poli area. In his leisure time, he split sorghum stalks into splints and figured out how to weave them into mats. Later, many others learned to weave them as well, and the craft has been passed down through generations.

　　Every autumn after the sorghum harvest, farmers split the stalks in half (commonly called "making halves") and dry them for storage. During the winter idle season, the "halves" are soaked in water until thoroughly wet, then split into 3–4 mm wide strips, the cores are scraped off to make splints, and weaving begins. Some mats are covered with fine jujube blossoms, with borders adorned with strings of peonies; some feature woven designs of "dragons chanting and phoenixes singing"; others are woven with the characters for "prosperity and longevity." There is a rich variety of patterns and countless styles.

　　Poli Red Mats are tightly woven, with clear textures, square corners, and neat weaving. They are smooth, soft, beautiful, lightweight, watertight, and durable—qualities that have made them highly popular among locals. In the Poli area, every household shares an inseparable bond with the red mat. Red mats are laid on kang beds, used for drying grain, and when a farmer’s daughter gets married, red mats are used to cover the bridal sedan. When the bride enters the bridal chamber, red mats are also laid on the floor. During the Spring Festival, every household replaces their old mat with a brand-new red one, symbolizing wealth and good fortune.

　　Poli Red Mats are also well-known within the province and in parts of Hebei and the three northeastern provinces. In the early years of the People’s Republic of China, red mats were exhibited in Beijing as a local specialty product. The annual production of red mats is generally around 200,000 mats, though this declined after 1959. Since 1978, with the gradual deepening of rural economic reforms, red mat production has gradually recovered and developed. In 1986, just in Poli Town alone, 8,000 mu of land was planted with mat sorghum, and nearly every village in the town was involved in the mat-weaving industry, employing over 15,000 laborers. The per capita income from mat weaving alone exceeded 100 yuan. In 1987, Jiaonan County established the "Red Mat Wholesale Market" in Poli Town, revitalizing this traditional household sideline industry.