Libo Cool Mat

Libo Cool Mat

　　Produced in Libo, Guizhou.

　　The Libo cool mat originated during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty and has a history of over 100 years. Townships in Libo County such as Dongtang, Jiuan, Yongkang, and Yaosuo are rich in moso bamboo, which serves as high-quality raw material for weaving cool mats. The mat-making process begins with shaving the bamboo into paper-thin bamboo strips (i.e., the outer surface of the bamboo), and then carefully weaving them using the natural patterns and luster of the bamboo green to create the mat. Its most outstanding features are its delicacy, smoothness, sweat permeability, and coolness.

　　Unlike ordinary bamboo strip cool mats, the Libo cool mat is extremely resilient. A double-sized cool mat can be folded and rolled into a small tube with a diameter of just five centimeters and a length of fifty centimeters, which can then be wrapped in a single sheet of newspaper. The Libo cool mat is durable and long-lasting. By using unique moso bamboo and a distinctive craftsmanship (without any steaming or boiling processes, and certainly no preservative treatments), the finished cool mat retains the bamboo’s original green color and will not attract insects under natural conditions. A well-maintained cool mat can last 10 to 20 years.

　　The Libo cool mat still employs the original handcrafting techniques from the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty. Crafting a single cool mat requires a skilled worker about five days— one day for cutting bamboo, two days for shaving the strips, and three days for weaving. A 1.5×2.0 meter cool mat is woven from approximately 1,240 bamboo strips, each about 4 mm in width. Both the warp and weft of the mat are made from unbroken, single strips of bamboo with no joints. A Libo cool mat is not only a daily household item but also a craftwork of collectible value.

　　Legend has it that long ago, there was a local man named Yao Huankui who went up the mountain to chop firewood but forgot to bring rope. While worrying about how to bundle the wood, he spotted a patch of moso bamboo on the opposite hill. He went and cut down a moso bamboo, split it into several thin strands, twisted them into a rope to tie the firewood, and discovered that these thin bamboo strands were as soft as hemp yet tough and unbreakable. From then on, Yao Huankui often used moso bamboo to bundle firewood or other items. Later, many locals learned of this use for moso bamboo and began cutting and splitting their own to make ropes. Over time, people also began using it to weave straw shoes, bamboo baskets, and more.

　　The Libo cool mat is meticulously woven using the natural patterns and luster of the bamboo green and bamboo inner skin. Its most prominent characteristics are its delicate beauty, simple elegance, smooth softness, foldability, and portability.