Chinese furniture
China is one of the longest standing major civilizations in the world today. The familiar Asian minimalist aesthetic had its origins in China as far back as 1500 BC. The furniture present in some of the early artwork from that period shows woven mats, sometimes accompanied by arm rests, as providing seating accompanied by low tables. At this early time both unadorned and intricately engraved and painted pieces were developing.
Around the beginning of the first millennium AD saw the influx of Buddhism and other foreign cultural influences. Buddhism, around AD 200, brought with it the idea of (the Buddha) sitting upon a raised platform instead of simply mats. This was adopted as an honorific seat for special guests and dignitaries or officials, generally during special rights and ceremonies. A longer version was then used for reclining as well, which would evolve into the bed and daybed, while taller versions evolved into higher tables as well. The folding stool also became popular around this time, imported from nomadic tribes to the North and West, which used them for their ease of transport and for mounting horses. For these reasons the popularity of the folding stool with travelers and hunters among others was ensured. Soon after woven hourglass shaped stools began to appear; a design still in use today throughout China.
Some of the styles now widely regarded as Chinese began appearing more prominently in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is here that evidence of early versions of the round and yoke back chairs are found, generally used by the elite. By the next two Dynasties (the Northern and Southern Song) the use of varying types of furniture, including chairs, benches, stools and tables as well as certain technical developments in woodworking, had made huge progress and were now commonly found throughout Chinese society. Two particular developments were recessed legs and waisted tables. Newer and more complex designs were generally limited to official and higher class use, but like with many such things, all it would take was time and progress for these designs to filter through to the rest of society.
It was from this basis that Chinese furniture developed its distinguishing characteristics. Use of thick lacquer finish and detailed engravings and paintings as well as pragmatic design elements would continue to flourish and advance on a uniquely Chinese path. Significant foreign influence would not be felt until the (relatively recent) intrusion of the West. Up until this point the Chinese had developed a world view upon which they were the pinnacle of progress and achievement with no one to prove them otherwise. Given this attitude foreign influence was to a great extent minimal, and at various points in history Chinese were forbidden from traveling abroad to trade and countries seeking to trade with China had to do so through official channels as an exchange of tribute for gifts. In these trades the Chinese normally gave more than they received as a way of impressing smaller states with their awesome power, and were officially considered tribute missions despite the trades made.
The official Chinese position was that trade was unnecessary because there was little to nothing any other state had to offer that they needed or wanted. Despite these restrictions, China has a long history of trade on and off the books throughout South East Asia, with migrant communities going back many generations. The reason trading could continue was that a country as large as China is faced with immense problems of governance and organization. An old Chinese saying demonstrates this very well, stating "The mountains are high and the emperor is far away" - eluding to the relative lawlessness of much of China from the sheer distance from the capital.
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties the ban on imports was lifted, allowing for much larger quantities and varieties of woods to be brought in. The use of denser wood let much finer work be done, including more elaborate styles of joinery. This was in part spurred by the rapid rise of the merchant class; a class that according to the traditional hierarchies should be the bottom rung, classically stratified as Scholars, Peasants, Artisans then Merchants. This new market fueled a return to some more traditional designs as well as technological innovations, further reinforcing a distinctive Chinese style.
External links
- Herbert Offen Research Collection An excellent bibliography of publicly accessible books and manuscripts on Chinese furniture.
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