Perhaps you have already sat in one. But have you ever considered the history behind a Chinese chair such as this \u5b5d\u987a\u6905?
Chinese chairs have captivated designers for centuries. The horseshoe and yoke back designs are iconic. They have been replicated countless times.
A chair from China’s imperial period can be very expensive. A set of four 17th-century armchairs sold for $9.68 million at auction. That is an average of $2.5 million per chair. These expensive chairs tell a story. It is a story about Chinese history. It is also a story about sitting down.
Before chairs, most Chinese people sat on the floor. Homes had an elevated platform called a kang. Warm air circulated beneath it during winter. The kang is still found in rural northern China.
In the 2nd century, the Silk Road brought the folding stool. It came from the Roman Empire. The Chinese called it a huchuang meaning “barbarian bed”. Upright chairs appeared in Chinese paintings around the 10th century. A scroll painting shows musicians entertaining guests in chairs.
The yoke-back chair was popular. Its crest rail resembled hats worn by government officials. The chair became a status symbol. It represented the owner’s wish for promotion. Another popular design was the horseshoe back. It featured an ovular curvature in the crest rail.
Chairs shifted Chinese life. Ceilings became higher. Women started wearing trousers. Waist-high dining tables appeared. As Nico Ma said “When we learn to sit above the floor our living habits would be elevated”. They needed tables and cabinets.
By the 12th century, Chinese culture moved from floor-level to chair-level. Emperor Huizong sat on a yoke-back chair in his official portrait.
The most expensive Chinese chairs use huanghuali. It is also called Chinese rosewood. Huanghuali has beautiful grain. It also has a distinctive smell. It takes over 300 years to grow a plank. This plank would be used for a small table.
New research in the 1980s and 90s brought Western attention to Chinese chairs. They became collector’s items. They were sold in auctions worldwide. The focus of China’s furniture market is now on Asian buyers.
So next time you see a \u5b5d\u987a\u6905, remember its rich history. It is a symbol of status, comfort and cultural evolution. It is a piece of history you can sit on.