Ming and Qing Furniture -- China Art Investment and Appraisal Series

Author: Shi Shuqing, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-06-01
Features: China Water Conservancy and Electric Power Press is a central-level publishing organization with a rigorous work ethic, meticulous management, and over 40 years of history. It is among the first batch of national outstanding publishers. Initially, it primarily published scientific and technical publications on water conservancy and electricity. With the expansion of its business and growing strength, it has now successively published a variety of publications in fields such as civil engineering, architecture, computer science, and tourism, earning the approval and praise of readers. On this basis, we are committed to promoting the spirit of scientific exploration and upholding traditional culture, striving to achieve the integration of science and art, as well as the fusion of publishing and culture, to contribute our part to the inheritance of traditional Chinese art. In this regard, we are honored to invite the renowned Art Investment and Appraisal Series, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Yachang Enterprise Limited for its strong support. Hereby, we also express our thanks.
Ming Dynasty furniture is generally referred to as "Ming-style furniture." Ming-style furniture primarily uses precious hardwoods such as zitan wood, huali wood, tilia wood, and acid wood, which are produced in India, Myanmar, and Southeast Asia. These woods have rich colors, beautiful grain patterns, and a hard, fine texture. The variety and style of Ming Dynasty furniture are rich and diverse, with the concept of complete sets of furniture already established, including matching furniture designed for different architectural spaces such as halls, bedrooms, and studies. The main characteristics of Ming-style furniture are its wooden structural designs, which form distinctive shapes. The designs are simple, elegant, and unadorned, emphasizing the lines of the furniture to reflect a bright and fresh artistic style. At the same time, Ming-style furniture fully showcases the beauty of the hardwoods' colors and grain patterns, avoiding excessive carving. To highlight the elegance of the lines, small-scale carvings are only applied locally without compromising the overall effect. The structures are rational, and the designs are beautiful, fully reflecting the outstanding level of "Ming-style" furniture.
Qing Dynasty furniture and Ming Dynasty furniture have entirely different styles in terms of artistic design. The main features of Qing-style furniture are their heavy use of materials, with furniture having larger sizes and dimensions compared to the Ming style. Another characteristic is their ornate decorations, which include inlay, carving, and painted designs, giving a sense of grandeur, stability, and luxury, forming a sharp contrast to the simplicity, lightness, and elegance of Ming-style furniture. Qing-style furniture primarily uses zitan and redwood, combined with various craftsmanship techniques, forming a distinctive style known as "Qing-style furniture." The main production sites of Qing-style furniture are Beijing, Suzhou, and Guangzhou. Due to their unique local styles, they are also referred to as "Jing-style," "Su-style," and "Guang-style," respectively. Jing-style and Su-style furniture largely retain the traditional forms of Chinese classical furniture, while Guang-style furniture, influenced by Western culture, has developed a unique style.