An exquisite-made whisk broom. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn]

Balin Left Banner in Chifeng city, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, is nestled at the southwestern foot of the Greater Khingan Mountains, and known as the "hometown of broomcorn in China".

Thanks to its unique climate and soil, the region produces broomcorn with long, flexible fibers that are especially suitable for hand weaving—a tradition that dates back over a thousand years to the Liao Dynasty (916-1125).

Broomcorn planting, processing, and binding have a long history in Balin Left Banner and hold significant cultural and artistic value. The craft vividly embodies both local and ethnic traditions.

Over centuries of development, the region's handcrafted broom-making techniques have continuously evolved in tools, patterns and craftsmanship.

Today, it is defined by the "ten-step hand-weaving technique", which mainly includes processes such as material selection, soaking, bunch tying, outer layering, decorative weaving and final shaping.

According to Li Yanlei, the banner-level representative inheritor of the grassland broomcorn hand-weaving craft, the production process varies by product—some items require more than a dozen or even over 20 steps to complete.

Li Yanlei, the banner-level representative inheritor of the grassland broomcorn hand-weaving craft, shows how to make a simple broom using broomcorn. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn]

In 2023, the Shenglong Crop and Livestock Cooperative, which centers around broomcorn production, was designated an intangible cultural heritage workshop. The workshop has enabled over 200 households and more than 800 local residents to find flexible, home-based employment.

Using broomcorn as the primary material, the workshop has developed a wide range of products across five major categories: cleaning tools, kitchenware, storage items, health and massage tools, and handicrafts. In total, more than 150 product types and styles have been created.

In addition, the region has established a complete industrial chain, encompassing broomcorn cultivation, craft innovation and market expansion.

To ensure the sustainable transmission of this heritage, Balin Left Banner has established heritage training centers and workstations, and introduced broom-making techniques into local school curriculums and experiential courses to help pass on the tradition.

An owl made of broomcorn. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn]