Ming and Qing Furniture (Part 2)

Author: Editorial Committee of This Book
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-11-02
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, and matching furniture for different architectural spaces such as halls, bedrooms, and studies. The main feature of Ming Dynasty furniture is the use of wooden frame structures, forming distinctive shapes with simple, elegant, and unadorned designs. It emphasizes 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 artistic style of Qing Dynasty furniture is entirely different from that of the Ming Dynasty. The main feature of Qing-style furniture lies in its heavy use of materials, with furniture being wider and larger in size compared to the Ming Dynasty. Another feature is its elaborate decoration, using techniques such as inlaying, carving, and painting, which give a sense of grandeur, stability, and luxury, forming a sharp contrast with the simplicity, lightness, and elegance of Ming-style furniture. Qing Dynasty furniture primarily uses zitan and hongmu wood, combined with various craftsmanship techniques, forming a unique style known as "Qing-style furniture." The main production areas of Qing-style furniture are Beijing, Suzhou, and Guangzhou. Due to their distinct local styles, they are also referred to as "Jing-style," "Su-style," and "Guang-style." Jing-style and Su-style furniture retain more traditional Chinese classical forms, while Guang-style furniture, influenced by Western culture, has developed a unique style.
The appreciation of furniture is often distinguished by the "Sixteen Qualities" and "Eight Deficiencies" to assess whether a piece is good or bad, beautiful or ugly. The purpose was twofold: first, to explain the simplicity and purity of Ming-style furniture, which was widely praised but could not fully encompass its essence. Additionally, there were different qualities worth appreciating and admiring. These qualities were often identifiable, and one did not need to seek them beyond the obvious—they could be appreciated at a glance. Second, 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 did not require avoiding differing opinions, if one wanted to discuss and lively the atmosphere, the best approach was to arrange an appropriate setting, 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. In halls and halls, objects were arranged symmetrically, which was fixed but could be somewhat rigid. In studies and living spaces, functionality was emphasized, making them flexible and varied. This created a contrast between symmetry and asymmetry, fixed and flexible in the arrangement. A contrast is better than none, 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, qijiu wood, tie wood, and ying wood—are discussed, with ying wood mentioned as well. Huili wood has a color that is neither too dull nor too flashy, with a texture that is sometimes visible and sometimes not, lively and varied. It is also known as "xiangxiang huatan" or "yaxue wood." The wood chips soaked in water can lower blood pressure, and using wood chips as a pillow can relieve muscle tension, lower blood pressure and blood lipids. There is evidence that this wood has medicinal properties known 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 like lacquer, making the grain almost invisible. It is not as elegant as huili wood but has a solemn and ancient charm unmatched by any other wood. Qijiu wood comes in two types: new and old. New qijiu wood has a rough texture, alternating purple and black, with unclear grain patterns, stiff and lacking rotation, and the wood fibers are sometimes prone to splitting. Old qijiu 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, with a brilliant luster. Tie wood, also known as "tie-li wood" or "tie-li wood," grows to be the tallest among several hardwood species.
Ying wood is not a species name but refers to the wood from the knotted roots or swellings of old trees, known as "yingzi" in Beijing craftsmanship. The wood from these swellings always has swirling, fine 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 cloth as a buffer, lift and move vertically with care, and use a clean, soft, and appropriately temperature-controlled cloth to wipe the furniture without leaving water droplets or watermarks. In daily use, avoid using wet cloths to wipe the furniture, and use coasters when placing cups to prevent watermarks. If there are stains or watermarks, apply a little wax to remove them. Avoid waxes with chemical ingredients, such as Brasso, as the furniture surface has no lacquer. It is best to choose oil-based waxes and regularly maintain the furniture by applying wax. At least once a month in dry seasons and less frequently in humid seasons, adjusting for the season. This helps keep the furniture supple for a long time.
As time passes, a hard layer may form on the furniture surface, gradually reducing the frequency of waxing. Classical furniture should be regularly maintained, with wax applied every quarter under normal conditions to preserve it. If the furniture is old, it can be repaired by professionals to truly protect its material and structural integrity. Furniture should be avoided from strong sunlight to prevent changes in the wood's natural color over time. If small scratches appear on the surface, they can be removed by waxing. However, if the scratches are deep or the furniture cracks, professional repair is needed.
The expansion and contraction of furniture are normal, especially noticeable in areas with four seasons. Generally, each piece of furniture stabilizes and becomes relatively stable after undergoing four seasons of changes.