Chinese Furniture Art

Like most other Asian cultures, the custom in ancient Chinese furniture art was to stoop or sit cross-legged on floor level mats. Furniture was restricted to low level tables, armrests and decorative screens. During the Tang dynasty, higher seats Chinese furniture art first started to appear amongst the Chinese elite. This trend soon spread to all levels of society. With the higher level of seating came other types of Chinese furniture art, including benches, long rectangular tables and folding screens.

By the 12th century seating on the floor was rare in China. Over the next few centuries furniture design and construction of Chinese furniture art continued to be refined. Ming period is considered as the golden age of Chinese furniture. By this time Chinese furniture art had become extremely prosperous. Many of the designs that first appeared during this period remained unchanged. Drawings on paper were rare in the Chinese furniture art.

The designs that came out of China during the Ming dynasty were much admired by the Europeans. These have had a major influence on Western interior design too. However a change in style gradually appeared, and by the end of the 18th century Ming furniture had been replaced by angular forms and overly ornate carvings.

Modern Chinese furniture art bears the imprints of all the cultures of different dynasty. Chinese furniture art use so many materials for furniture making like:

• Tropical Hardwoods
• Hongmu
• Huanghuali
• Jichimu
• Tielimu
• Wumu
• Zitan
• Decorative Stone
• Paktong
• Woven Cane and many more.

Joinery and construction of Chinese furniture art enhances the virtue of Chinese hardwood furniture. Techniques of wood joinery were assumed from an ancient technological culture. The joinery of Chinese furniture art has developed through continuous development of timber architectural systems. Afterwards, with the passing phase of time the construction of Chinese furniture were gained further heights of sophistication & refinement during the Ming and early Qing dynasties.

Chinese furniture art includes many categories of Chinese furniture, like:

• Beds,
• Stools
• Chairs
• Cabinets
• Tables
• Screens etc.

To know more information on Chinese furniture visit our site India Crafts.