Rush cane staff

Rush cane staff

　　　According to *Records of the Grand Historian · Biography of Dayuan*, when Zhang Qian returned from the Western Regions, he told Emperor Wu of Han: “When I was in Dayuan, I saw rush cane staffs and Shu cloth.” The rush cane staff is made from the rush bamboo (also known as arhat bamboo or face-like bamboo), which grows in the local mountains, and has been processed into the final product. It has long been cherished as a fine and beloved item. In 1958, rush cane staffs were given as gifts to national leaders Mao Zedong, Zhu De, and He Long as a token of deep respect, and they received high praise from the central leadership.