Ming and Qing Dynasty Furniture.

Author: Tian Xiao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Ming Dynasty furniture is generally referred to as "Ming-style furniture." Ming-style furniture primarily uses precious hardwoods from India, Myanmar, and Southeast Asia, such as zitan wood, huili wood, tie-li wood, and suanzhī wood. 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, featuring matching furniture designed for different architectural spaces such as halls, bedrooms, and studies. The main feature of Ming Dynasty furniture is its use of wooden structural forms, creating unique shapes with simple, elegant, and unadorned designs that emphasize the lines and forms of the furniture, reflecting a bright and fresh artistic style. At the same time, Ming-style furniture fully showcases the beauty of 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 structure is rational, and the design is beautiful, fully reflecting the outstanding level of "Ming-style" furniture.
The style of Qing Dynasty furniture differs greatly from that of Ming Dynasty furniture in terms of artistic design. The main characteristics of Qing-style furniture are first reflected in the use of thick materials, with furniture having broader and larger dimensions compared to Ming furniture. Second, Qing furniture is ornate, with decorative techniques such as inlay, carving, and painted designs, giving a sense of grandeur, stability, and luxury, forming a sharp contrast with the simplicity, lightness, and elegance of Ming-style furniture. Qing furniture primarily uses zitan and hongmu wood, combined with various craftsmanship techniques, forming a distinctive "Qing-style furniture." The main production centers of Qing-style furniture are Beijing, Suzhou, and Guangzhou, each with its own regional style, thus being 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 more by Western culture, has developed a unique style.
The appreciation of furniture is distinguished by the "Sixteen Qualities" and "Eight Deficiencies" to evaluate whether furniture is good or bad, beautiful or ugly. The purpose at the time had two aspects: one was to explain the simplicity and rusticity of Ming-style furniture, which was widely praised but could not fully encompass its essence. Additionally, there are different qualities worth appreciating and admiring. They are mostly identifiable, and there is no need to seek them beyond the visible, making them universally appreciable. The second was to point out that although the Ming and early Qing periods were the golden age of traditional furniture, not every piece was good. While the appreciation of furniture does not necessarily require avoiding differing opinions, if one wishes to engage in discussion and, the best approach is to set up an appropriate environment, display the furniture for everyone to see, and allow for appreciation and evaluation.
The arrangement of furniture in previous generations varied depending on the room. Furniture in halls and halls emphasized symmetry, which was fixed but could be somewhat rigid. Study rooms and living spaces focused on practicality, being flexible and varied. This created a contrast between symmetry and asymmetry, fixed and flexible in the arrangement. Contrast is better than lack of it, as it makes relative things more prominent. Moreover, the presence of contrast itself implies that it is not uniform but rather varied. In real life, it is hard to imagine three or five-hall halls, but this does not hinder the conscious use of both symmetric and flexible arrangements, as both can also show contrast and variation.
The high level of Ming and early Qing furniture was achieved due to the use of precious hardwoods with dense textures, elegant colors, and beautiful patterns. Below, only five main varieties—huili wood, zitan wood, qiji wood, tie wood, and yingmu—are discussed, with yingmu mentioned as well. Huili wood has a color that is neither too dull nor too flashy, with grain patterns that are subtle yet dynamic. It is also known as "xiangxiang huangtan" or "yaxue wood," as wood chips soaked in water can lower blood pressure, and wood chips used as pillows can promote blood circulation, lower blood pressure and blood lipids, with documented evidence of its medicinal properties as "xiangxiang" in traditional Chinese medicine. No wonder it is cherished by many furniture enthusiasts.
Among all hardwoods, zitan wood has the hardest texture and heaviest weight, mostly dark purple-black, with some so dark they are almost lacquered, making the grain almost invisible. It is less ornate than huili wood but has a solemn and ancient charm unmatched by any other wood. Qiji wood has two types: new qiji wood is rough, with alternating purple and black colors, unclear grain patterns, and rigid, unswirling textures, with fibers that are prone to splitting. Old qiji wood has a dense texture with varying shades of purple and brown, especially on the longitudinal section, where fine, floating grain patterns shine like the feathers of a bird's neck, creating a brilliant and shimmering effect. Tie wood, also known as "tie-li wood" or "tie-li mu," is the tallest among several hardwood species.
Yingmu is not a species name but refers to the wood from the knotted growths on old trees, known as "yingzi" in Beijing craftsmanship. The wood from these growths always has swirling, dense grain patterns. Classical furniture from the Ming and Qing dynasties are all solid wood furniture with mortise-and-tenon structures, so the properties of the wood determine the maintenance and care requirements for classical furniture. Classical furniture should not be placed in direct sunlight. When placing items on furniture, use a soft pad to protect the surface. Handle furniture gently in a vertical direction, and use clean, soft, and appropriately temperature-controlled cloths to wipe the furniture, ensuring no water droplets or streaks remain. During daily use, avoid using wet cloths to wipe the furniture, and use coasters when placing cups to prevent water marks. If stains or water marks occur, apply a small amount of wax—preferably a natural oil-based wax, not chemical-based ones like Brasso. Since the furniture surface has no lacquer, it is best to choose an oil-based wax and regularly maintain the furniture by waxing. At least once a month during dry seasons, and less frequently during humid seasons, to keep the furniture supple. Over time, as the surface wax layer hardens, the frequency of waxing can be gradually reduced.
Classical furniture should be regularly maintained, with waxing performed every quarter under normal conditions to preserve its condition. If the furniture is old, professional restoration may be necessary to protect its material structure. Avoid strong sunlight exposure to furniture, as prolonged exposure can alter the natural color of the wood. If small scratches appear on the surface, they can be removed by waxing. However, if scratches are deep or cracks occur, professional repair is required. Furniture expansion and contraction are normal, especially noticeable in areas with seasonal changes. Generally, each piece of furniture stabilizes after undergoing four seasons and remains relatively stable.