Related stories

Decorate Your House with Traditional Chinese Furniture “There’s one thing about Beijing: It’s not just a city; it’s a people. It has its own flavour.” Poetics of Space China's Int'l Arts and Entertainment Group Founded Sour Dates

Thrones: Symbols, not Chairs

In ancient China, the number one symbol of the emperor was the imperial throne. Since emperors were regarded as dragons, the thrones were also called the Dragon's Chair (longyi).

Chinese-style thrones were very capacious. The earliest record of such chairs can be dated back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). In addition to serving a function, Song thrones were also decorated for certain ceremonies. After the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) was established, the emperors gathered more power to themselves, and the thrones gradually became even more synonymous with supreme power.

When visiting the Palace Museum, you will find that thrones are mostly placed in the centres of the largest halls. Single thrones are very common; pairs are rarely seen. Big folding screens are often found behind the thrones and were considered essential imperial decorations that displayed the dignity and glory of the emperor in his capacity as direct representative of the heavenly court.

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the symbolic meaning of the throne reached its height. Emperor Yongzheng once saw a young eunuch passing his throne indifferently with broom in hand. Thenceforth, the Emperor ordered, when passing his thrones, all eunuchs should bend their bodies a little and quicken their step. What's more, he decreed, when an emperor or empress visited somewhere, thrones should be prepared beforehand, should never used by others, and must be covered with yellow silk and stored in secure locations between visits.

The throne in the Hall of Supreme Harmony was the most important of all. The roof above this throne features a dragon with a mirror in its mouth. It was said that if the one sitting in that throne was not destined to be the emperor, the dragon would know, and would allow the mirror to fall, killing the usurper.

The throne visitors now see in the Hall of Supreme Harmony is a priceless original. In 1947, when the museum began the long task of restoring the original appearance of the palace, there were several "candidate" thrones in the warehouse, but the staff was not sure which was the correct one to place in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. They chose the most exquisite one and were disappointed to find that it didn't match the surroundings. Fortunately, a famous researcher Zhu Jiajin found a photo of the throne room taken in early 20th century. He then searched high and low for a similar throne throughout the whole palace and finally, miraculously, found the original in a room used for storing "useless" furniture and wood. When this throne was restored, it looked exactly the same as the one in the picture and another portrayed in an original painting of Emperor Qianglong sitting in the hall. The true Dragon Chair is but one of the many original treasures to awaiting visitors to the Palace Museum.