From ritual rituals to today's dining table Chinese classical furniture has undergone what changes?

China is the world's longest cultural tradition is also one of the oldest countries, in its long history, created a brilliant national culture. One of the furniture culture as an important part of this treasure trove of art, thousands of years, through the labor of our ancestors to create, and gradually formed a section of the unique form of each style characteristics.

But in the vast majority of the time we talk about Chinese classical furniture said the most is only the Ming and Qing dynasty furniture, for other dynasties of furniture, and the development of Chinese furniture is little known. Today Yuan Meng editorial will talk to you about the furniture before the Ming and Qing Dynasties, they are in the end what kind of existence?

Phase I: Xia, Shang, Zhou period

China's earliest dynasties, from the tribal alliance society slowly transformed into the embryonic form of the state, the furniture is also in this period of gradual development. The first piece of furniture was the "altar", which was mostly used for rituals. In that period, the emperor's power was given by the gods, so the "chopping board" held a supreme position in the ritual activities with the gods. To be precise, the "altar" was only used as a ceremonial vessel at that time. However, it was also considered to be an early piece of furniture when it was used to hold and store things. The picture below shows the form of the "chopping board" at that time. As a side note, this is the earliest source of the phrase "a fish on a knife's blade, to be slaughtered by others".

The second stage: the Spring and Autumn and Warring States, the two Han period

To the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period, due to the metallurgy, ironmaking technology development and improvement to the wood processing brought about rapid progress in the change, the emergence of a richer wood processing equipment and tools, to the production of furniture provides a great convenience. This period of people's living habits are still mainly to sit on the ground, so the furniture was mostly small and low "several" and "case".

Carved wooden case of the Warring States period

The same living habits of the Han Dynasty was to sit on the ground, so the indoor life was centered on the bed and couch, the function of the bed was not only sleep, including dining, conversation and other activities will be carried out in bed. The case and a few at that time also developed to a more mature stage, is no longer "small and exquisite" form. At that time, the feudal society in the period of strict hierarchy, the emperor, courtiers and the people use "several" are not the same. These are mainly reflected in the material, the emperor used more jade table, and the public with a few wooden or bamboo a few.

The third stage: the two Jin and the North and South Dynasties

While the earliest recorded time of the introduction of Buddhism to China is in the Han Dynasty, but the real time of the emergence of the main from the two Jin period. The emperors of the Southern Dynasties of Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen all revered Buddhism. Because of this, Buddhism on the furniture at that time also had a far-reaching impact, and gradually appeared pier, chairs, stools and other high type of furniture, which also laid the foundation for the later people's feet and sit.

Fourth stage: the Sui and Tang dynasties

Sui-period in fact, not much change in furniture, the real prosperity of the period mainly in the Tang Dynasty, people familiar with history know that the Tang Dynasty society was more open to the East and the West, frequent cultural exchanges. This gives the development of classical furniture provides fertile soil. For example, we are familiar with today's circle chair is the classic combination of chair and Hu bed in the Tang period. The Tang Dynasty is the intersection of sitting on the floor and sitting with feet hanging down, until the Fifth Dynasty, furniture began to develop in the direction of high type.

Phase 5: Song and Yuan Dynasties

The Song Dynasty was an unprecedented period in the development and popularization of Chinese furniture, both in terms of style and variety were extremely rich. Today we are familiar with beds, couches, tables, cases, stools, cabinets, boxes, clothes, towels, pots and shelves, etc. have appeared in the Song Dynasty daily furniture. The overall decorative style inherited from the Five Dynasties period tends to be simple and elegant. As in the Tang Dynasty for the later people to sit on their feet to lay the foundation, the prosperity of the Song Dynasty furniture also created a superb, perfect Ming Dynasty furniture.

There were few changes in the Yuan Dynasty in general, when both policy, economy and furniture were mainly inherited from the Song Dynasty. But drawers were invented in that period. It can be seen that the development of Chinese furniture is a cultural development of various ethnic groups exchange and integration of a microcosm.

Sixth stage: Ming and Qing Dynasty furniture

Ming Dynasty is the most prosperous period in the history of Chinese furniture development, we have been mentioned. In fact, there is a most important point, far moe editorial opinion: in addition to the form, craftsmanship, decoration, materials are becoming more mature, the Ming Dynasty furniture to the development of Chinese furniture to bring the greatest contribution is the emergence of a large number of books dedicated to summarize the experience of craft technology, which gives the inheritance of Chinese furniture to retain an important spark.

Second is the Qing Dynasty furniture, the early Qing Dynasty in the furniture change is not much, there is a continuation of a certain Ming style. To the middle and late Qing dynasty gradually developed their own characteristics. Compared with the Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty furniture is good to go to the other extreme, unlike the Ming-style simplicity, elegance and excessive pursuit of luxury furniture in the Qing Dynasty seems to be more cumbersome. However, the point of view here is more subjective, the Qing Dynasty furniture is undeniable, one of the most influential representatives of Chinese furniture.

But at the same time, the decline of Chinese furniture classical furniture is also in the Qing Dynasty, mainly, from the then unstable social factors in the late Qing Dynasty, people are living a precarious life, not only the furniture industry, the whole country will naturally decline.

Seventh stage: heritage and innovation - the new Chinese

This stage we can not give them a period, because the new Chinese style is also the last few years just started to rise. But thanks to today's stable social conditions, I believe that in the near future we will be able to develop on the basis of the predecessor belongs to their own era characteristics of Chinese furniture ...... With the far Meng mahogany furniture together to wait and see!

Article source: Yuanmeng mahogany furniture platform (a platform site specializing in serving traditional mahogany furniture enterprises)

Article editor: Yuanmeng editor