A Henan workshop where rush meets ritual
Michael Zhan first encountered these mats on a sourcing trip through northern Henan, in a village where households still weave rush during the slack farming months. The workshop that supplies us is a family affair — three generations working on wooden looms that predate the Cultural Revolution. Their process hasn’t changed in 80 years: rush is harvested in late summer, sun-dried until the blades turn from green to pale gold, then woven by hand in a tight basket pattern that locks each strand. The result is a mat with structural integrity but no chemical treatments — nothing stands between your knees and the plant. Michael tested a prototype at his own chá-shì in Kunming for a full winter; the mat’s resilience and natural camber convinced him to commission the current 60×80cm size, which fits a standard gongfu setting without crowding the space. Each set of two is cut from the same bolt and checked for symmetry. The workshop produces only 40 sets a year; we’re fortunate to offer a handful at tea.furniture, with a tag identifying the master weaver.