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Furniture, Another Taste of Life

The history of Chinese furniture is cloaked in mystery. Though we know when certain pieces of furniture were made, no one can tell exactly when Chinese furniture emerged as a sign of fashion and high-taste. Regardless, these pieces have become highly sought antiques and can now be seen gracing star-level hotels, fine restaurants, offices and private villas: any place where there is a pretension to classical taste.

For many centuries in its unbroken history of civilization and artful living, the family home was the centre of life for most Chinese families, and finely crafted furniture was evidently part of this artistic tradition. Viewing remnant pieces, one can get a glimpse of the changes that took place over thousands of years by eyeing the unique and timely craftsmanship of each piece of furniture. Who can say when the Chinese people gave up sleeping and sitting on the ground in favour of beds and stools and chairs? But they did, leaving us with items we can cherish and still use even today.

The sizes and shapes of furniture, of course, were decided by the sizes of the people and their needs over history. In the beginning, the pieces were small and low. Tall stools came into being during the Southern and Northern dynasties (AD 429–581), and people must have set with their legs hanging down. By the Tang Dynasty (AD 618–907), some people had returned to sitting on the ground as a common practice, although some tall tables and chairs were used.

The "golden time" for furniture development came with the Song Dynasty (960–1279). Sitting on tall chairs or stools became a mainstream practice and Song furniture was adapted to this era's needs. There were various types of furniture such as desks divided into squares, long tables, music stools, dinner tables and drinking tables, according to their usage. Song Dynasty furniture was simple and elegant, without much carving or engraving.

But other peaks in furniture making were observed during the Yuan (1271–1368), Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties, especially the Ming and the Qing.

Lacquered furniture was popular during the early Ming Dynasty, but latter, with an end to the ban on maritime trade, a lot of hardwood was imported and hardwood furniture became popular. Manufacturing skills improved during this time; some furniture industrial organizations appeared, speeding the development of the furniture industry. The types, techniques, decorations and materials used in furniture-making reached a mature level during this time. Reliefs and engraving became part of the artistic furniture-making process. The sculptures and lines were rich but constrained, giving it the name: Ming-style. This style of furniture is oft-sought today, especially the era's hardwood furniture.

Qing Dynasty furniture partially followed the Ming style, but as time passed, it took on a shape and style of its own. Although hardwood and lacquer furniture was still in the mainstream, the dimensions were obviously larger than that of the Ming Dynasty. The types were further fractionized and decoration pursued a resplendent style; other luxurious materials were used in the furniture such as gold, silver, jade, coral and ivory. Yet, this furniture is always referred to as Ming-style furniture.

Qing Dynasty furniture is generally divided into three classes: the Guangzhou, Suzhou and Beijing styles. Guangzhou-style furniture is famous for its generosity in the use of wood as a material; Suzhou-style furniture is famous for its consummate carving; Beijing-style furniture incorporates the excellences of the Guangzhou and Suzhou styles but had an imperial audience.

Whether you collect ancient Chinese hardwood furniture as an investment or for utilitarian use in the home, there are some tips you may take in understanding the various pieces of furniture and their value today in the following pages.