chines furniture information
China is one of the longest standing major civilizations in the world today. The familiar oriental furniture had its origins in China as far back as 1500 BC. The Chinese 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 in oriental furniture.
Buddhism, said a Chinese furniture worker, 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 (from Chinese furniture collection) 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 travellers and hunters among others was ensured. Soon after woven hourglass shaped stools (also from the Chinese furniture collection) began to appear; a design still in use today throughout Chinese furniture.
Some of the styles now widely regarded as Chinese furniture began appearing more prominently in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is here that evidence of early versions of oriental furniture are found, generally used by the elite. By the next two Dynasties (the Northern and Southern Song) the use of varying types of oriental 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 Chinese furniture 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 uniquely Chinese furniture. Significant foreign influence would not be felt by the oriental furniture industry (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 in the oriental furniture industry. Given this attitude foreign influence was to a great extent minimal, and at various points in history Chinese were forbidden from travelling abroad to trade oriental furniture and countries seeking to trade with China had to do so through official channels as an exchange of tribute for gifts such as oriental furniture. In these trades the Chinese normally gave more (usually oriental furniture) than they received as a way of impressing smaller states with their awesome power, and were officially considered tribute missions despite the trades made.
