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History & Information of Furniture
Brief History of Chinses Furniture
Furniture has a close relation with people. You can say that
it has a same very long history as the human being. From the
very beginning, the daily necessities were slowly developed
into a treasured work of art. After a long period, the development
of the ancient furniture comes into a perfect stage. It reflects
the living of the human being in different dynasties. It also
reflects the standard of development at that time.
Before Shang Dynasty (Befor circa
1600BC)
Starting from the New Stone Stage, people started making
wooden furniture. This is proved by the archaeologists. We
know how the ancient furniture developed. And we know the
perfect history of the furniture development.
Shang and Zhou Dynasty (Circa1600-222BC
)
We can see the earliest furniture is the lacquered wooden box.
It was made at the earliest Shang Dynasty. The earliest perfect
furniture is the big bed that excavated from the Chu tomb at
Shun Yeung, Cheung Tai Guan. The edges of the bed were carved
and painted. The railings were made of bamboo with bronze materials.
The archaeologists found out that the bronze Zu, stone Zu and
wooden Zu of Shang, Zhou Dynasty are the first ancestor of table.
The bronze Jin is the beginning of coffer and cabinet. The wooden
Zu, censer and long table were excavated from Chu tomb at Cheung
Sha and the wooden bed was excavated from the Chu tomb at Shun
Yeung Cheung Tai Guan. All these can be proved that our ancestor
sat on the ground in the very beginning.
Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD)
The lacquer ware is the earliest furniture existing in the
world. It is also the earliest excellent furniture in our
country. The lacquer ware excavated from the Han tomb at Cheung
Sha Ma Wang Dui. It showed that the craft reached the highest
level skill at that time.
Wei and Jin Dynasties, Northern
and Southern Dynasties (220-581AD)
During the Wei Dynasty, people still sat on the ground. After
the Buddhism was entered into China. The high furniture especially
the chairs and stools were brought to China. Begin from the
Eastern and Western Jin Dynasties, the habits, customs and
attire were changed. The sitting posture was also changed.
Kang table was invented. Starting from the Northern and Southern
Dynasties, chairs and stools were appeared. Instead of sitting
on the ground, people sat on the tall sitting furniture.
Sui and Tang Dynasty (581-907AD)
The Tang Dynasty was the period that people sat on the ground
and on high furniture. At that time there had many kind of
the furniture. There had traditional furniture that used when
sitting on the ground. And there also had the creative furniture:
lunar chair and the armchair. This showed the position of
the high furniture.
Five Dynasties and Sung (907-1279AD)
During these two dynasties, it had a great change in ancient
furniture. Tang's were from popular and rough becoming delicate.
Sung's were most tall in high.
Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368AD)
Yuan's carpenters were still used the system of making furniture.
There hadn't any changes in the technique and mode. But the
table with drawers was invented at that time.
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644AD)
It is no doubt that the furniture at Ming Dynasty was the
"Furniture's Peal". Ming Dynasty was the golden
period of ancient furniture. At that time the technique, decoration
and mode of the furniture were at the highest and perfect
stage.
Qing Dynasty (1644-1911AD)
During Qing Dynasty, more than three hundred years, it created
its furniture style - "Qing's style Furniture".
Because of the Western Culture entered to China, the technique
of Western and China mixed together and formed a special form
of furniture.
Republic of China to Now (1912AD-Now)
From the Republic of China up to now, the Chinese furniture
passed a great change. It enters into a brand-new world.
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