Ivory Mat
Ivory mats were woven in a staggered manner with wires made of ivory softened with a special liquid and then split into filaments according to its natural texture. Mats woven in this way featured herringbone patterns.
The Palace Museum has preserved two ivory mats, both of which were tributes from Guangdong officials during the Qing Dynasty. One was registered when relics were counted on the eve of the establishment of the museum, and the other was discovered by chance in 1978 when the museum rearranged the stock in its warehouse: A staff member noticed that a bundle of straw mats was heavier than expected, and when he opened it, a white mat hidden inside was brought to light. After comparing it with the registered relics, experts confirmed that it was a rare ivory mat.
Mats were mostly made of bamboo. Using ivory to weave mats was a whimsical idea from Qing-dynasty officials to prepare gifts for the emperor. Although momentarily pleased by the gift, Emperor Yongzheng believed that it could cause others to follow suit and seek extravagance, so he issued a decree to prohibit craftsmen in Guangdong from making ivory woven items and officials from presenting such tributes.
Today, the Chinese government has banned the hunting of wild elephants and trade of ivory and its products. Traditional ivory handicraft now continues to be passed on using easily available materials such as ox bones as substitutes.
象牙席
象牙席，是用特制药水将象牙浸泡软化后，沿其本身纹理劈成细丝，再按照“人字纹”交错编织而成的席。
故宫博物院藏有两张象牙席，均为清代广东官员进贡之物。其一在建院前夕清点文物时已登记在册，其二则直到半个世纪后的1978年，在整理库房时意外发现。当时，工作人员发觉一捆草席偏重，打开后看到其中藏着白色席面。经过与在册文物的比对，确认白色席面正是罕见的象牙席。
席本是竹制居多，用象牙做席，是清朝大臣为皇帝准备礼物的奇思异想。虽有一时欢心，但雍正皇帝认为“好用此物”会上行下效，引起奢靡之风，便明确下旨，禁止广东地区工匠再制作、官员再进献象牙编织品。
如今，中国政府已明令禁止捕猎野生象和交易象牙及其制品。象牙加工技艺转而使用牛骨等易得材料继续传承。
