Wood Appreciation - A Guide to Materials Used in Chinese Classical Furniture

Author: Zhou Mo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: Wood Identification is a foundational book primarily focused on identifying wood through images, with supplementary textual descriptions. The main content centers on the woods used in Ming and Qing Dynasty furniture, emphasizing traditional, representative species such as Huanghuali (Tropical Rosewood), Zitan (Purple Sandalwood), Hongmu (Redwood), Huali (Lacewood), Wumu (Ebony), and Namu (Koa, specifically Golden Koa). It also includes recently introduced woods commonly used in furniture, such as African Rosewood, Chinese Locust, Red Bean, Fir, and Aromatica (Aromatic Wood). The book is organized by species, detailing their general characteristics, history, and culture. It showcases and briefly explains the diverse surface features of each wood, such as color, grain, luster, spots, knots, and defects, to highlight the multiple surface traits of each species. The goal is to achieve visual identification through images, enhance rational understanding, and establish authentic standards for various woods. Truly identifying wood or discerning the type of wood in artifacts at a glance is extremely challenging. Only by combining theory with practice and continuously encountering different woods and antique furniture can one achieve a near-perfect identification. This holds significant importance for the study and collection of wooden artifacts, especially classical furniture. The names of woods used in this book primarily follow traditional conventions, ensuring consistency when combined with scientific understanding and methods to avoid confusion. Additionally, the book records the general characteristics, empirical identification methods, and diverse surface features of each wood, acknowledging the variability and diversity of wood traits. Continuous observation, summarization, and refinement are essential to establish correct standards and avoid misjudgments in practice.
Furthermore, some woods used as supplementary materials in Ming and Qing Dynasty furniture, such as Xiangnanmu (Aromatic Pine), are not included due to their limited representation in the book. Similarly, some woods that cannot form standalone pieces or are difficult to obtain specimens of, such as Lumu (White Oak) and Hainan Huangtan (Hainan Rosewood), are omitted without cross-sections or object photos, which is a regrettable omission.
This book serves as an introduction to identifying traditional furniture woods, including: Tangxiang Zitan (Sandalwood with Aroma), Hongmu Tuandian (Redwood Illustrated Guide), Hehuali Tuandian (Walnut Illustrated Guide), Huali Tuandian (Lacewood Illustrated Guide), and more.