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Foreigners have played a pivotal role in creating the Ming and Qing furniture collection craze. Collectors began looking for pieces as early as the 17th century, when furniture was taken from imperial courts following the downfall of the Ming Dynasty.
The Ming Dynasty Furniture Ming furniture usually features fine, durable woods. Rose wood was most commonly used, but red sandalwood, a flawless, brownish purple wood, was often favored for its shiny surface. Mahogany was also a favorite because of its fine texture and invisible veins. China's famous tendon-mortise technology, used to construct furniture without any nails, was developed to its zenith during the Ming Dynasty. Chinese arts often combine contradictory factors such as lopsidedness and straightness, simplicity and complexity, movement and quietness. From ink-and-wash paintings to furniture, the beauty of simplicity and quietness is ingeniously emphasized. Ming Dynasty artisans used the succinct language of art to express their inner feelings. Ming pieces feature unique shapes, simple structures, and minimal decor. Craftsmen chose to emphasize the natural beauty of the wood. Lines were ingeniously used to emphasize furniture's parts such as the back of an armchair, the horizontal bar under a desk for resting feet, and the legs of chairs and tables. The S-shaped curve of the back of Ming armchairs are often praised by Westerners for their beauty and ergonomic perfection. The Qing Dynasty Furniture During the Qing Dynasty, furniture began to take on a more novel appearance. Craftsmen began making Qing-style furniture after Emperor Qianlong's reign (1736-1795). After political power was stabilized and the economy improved, people began to pay more attention to their material lives. Qing furniture is gaudy and sumptuous -- a clear departure from the stark scholarship of the Ming furniture.
Several Representative Masterpieces -Luohan bed. The bed features railings on three sides with one railing slightly higher than the others. The bed was often placed in the sitting rooms -- sort of as the equivalent of the modern chaise lounge. In Beijing's Forbidden City, there is such a bed for the emperor, called "Throne of Golden Chimes." -The Taishi Chair. This is a comfortable, round-backed armchair. An official of the Song Dynasty sought to curry favor with Qin Kuai, the treacherous prime minister, or taishi. So, he added a lotus leaf-shaped decoration to the back of Qin's chair where his head rested. The addition quickly became a fad, and was hence named after the prime minister. -The
Rose Chair.
Shaped as an official-cap shape, it is
smaller and its back is hollow. Because the chair was favored by
scholars, southerners also call it scholarly chair.
Tobacco originated with the Indians of North America and has a long history of over 2,000 years. Long ago the Indians lived a hard life, often walking long distances or migrating to look for food. During this process, they often smoked tobacco to make themselves forget starvation and weariness. They used the tobacco to offer sacrifices to the Gods, and sometime even to treat diseases. They used tobacco when they were offering sacrifices to the gods. Tobacco was also used for some social activities such as, wedding, birthdays, funerals and visiting etc.. In social activities, tobacco was regarded as a noble and precious gift. In 1492, Columbus discovered the new world, resulting in the spread of American tobacco all over the world. One kind of pipe, whose surface was decorated with beautiful feathers, was made from red clay by the American Indian, symbolizing peace. The tribal chieftains passed the pipe to express friendship and respect. Even today some tribes still have this tradition. Snuff is a kind of pharmaceutical preparation in which the perfectly ground tobacco power is put with some rare medicinal herbs such as musk, etc. They are sealed into the wax pills and then stained several different colors, such as dark purple, deep yellow, pale yellow, etc. It tastes mellow and sharp. It is said that it can make the eyes bright, exorcise epidemic disease, and invigorate blood circulation. In the late 16th century, tobacco was circulated from America to Luzon, Philippines and Luzon to Fujian, China. Then it was spread from the Philippines to Japan by Portuguese and Spanish sailors, traders, missionaries. Later, Japanese tobacco was spread to Korea and the northeast of China, especially Manchuria and Inner Mongolia. In a short time, snuffing became customary in China At the same time, tobacco, snuff and snuff bottles came to China from Russian traders.After coming to China, snuff was filled with the traditional medicine bottle. Later, people used more materials and making technology to consummate it. During the course, they found that this kind of bottle was best whose mouth is bigger and stomach is smaller. This is Snuff Bottle. All smokers are like it. In Qing Dynasty, snuff was spread all over the country, not only the emperor, but common people. The feudal nobles, led by the emperor, looked for precious materials and let the craftsman make Snuff Bottle. The collectors of the world think that Snuff Bottle absorbs all kind of Chinese arts and crafts. According to the materials, Snuff Bottle is divided into six kinds. They are metal, jade, organic matter, ceramics, glassware and inside painting. The Story on How It Started There is a legend on how it started. In the later years of Qianlong, a minor local official was addicted to snuff when he went to Beijing for business. Because of his not bribing the local official, his business was delayed again and again, he had to finally stay at an old temple. Due to his snuff addiction, he ran out of money to buy it. He was picking out the remainder of the snuff on the inside surface of the bottle. One Buddhist monk found his behavior and got inspiration from it. He dipped a bamboo pick with hook in Chinese ink and then painted on the inside surface of the clear bottle. At the beginning, craftsmen painted on the inside surface of the transparent glass or crystal snuff bottle. Because of its smooth surface, craftsmen could only painted simple pictures, such as, grasshopper, Chinese cabbages, landscapes only with a few touches, simple figures, etc. Later, craftsmen learned to filled the bottle with iron sand and emery, then shake it and rub it smooth just like Xuan paper. Then they can paint with more detail. Cloisonné
wares are the outstanding handicrafts in China. The production processes
of cloisonné wares are painstaking and complicated. It has several hundred years of history. Beijing is where Cloisonné making originated. The earliest extant Cloisonné was made in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). The best was made during the Xuande period (1426-1456) of the Ming dynasty. During the Jingtai period (1426-1456) of the Ming Dynasty, it became more popular, handicraftsmen found a dark-blue enamel which gave Cloisonné a gorgeous, solemn look, the technique turned to be quite mature. As the blue color was mostly used, so it is called Jingtai blue, and is still used today. In
Beijing as well as other cities, most shops in The tri-colored glazed pottery of the Tang Dynasty was developed 1,300 years ago. This art form drew on the skills of Chinese painting and sculpture and employed techniques of clay-strip forming and incising. The lines produced from this process were rugged and powerful. Glazes of different colors were painted on and while chemical reactions took place in the process of firing in the kiln, they dripped naturally so that the colors mingled with each other and formed smooth tones. The
tri-colored glazed pottery flourished during a rather short Excavated tri-colored Tang pottery are usually horses, camels, female figurines, dragon-head mugs, figurines of musicians and acrobats, and pillows. Of these, the tri-colored camels have won the greatest admiration. They are presented as bearing loads of silk or carrying musicians on their backs - their heads are raised as if neighing; the red-bearded, blue-eyed drivers, clad in tunics of tight sleeves and hats with upturned brims, represent true-to-life images of men from Central Asia of that time, as they trudged along the Silk Road. Many countries have jade ware culture, but none of them has as long a history as China has. China's jade ware culture has undergone a long process of development from the New Stone Age 10,000 years ago to the present. During the Neolithic Age, men found that some stones were more beautiful, finer in texture and more solid than others and used them to make tools, arrowheads, and ornaments. These were the prototypes of jade ware. The materials used by the ancients included not only soft jade but also other gemstones, such as serpentine, turquoise, malachite and agate. The ancient Chinese called these beautiful stones "yu," or jade. The first Chinese dictionary, Explanation of Words and Phrases, published in 100 during the Eastern Han Dynasty defines the meaning of "yu" as "the most beautiful stone." The earliest jade ware found in China was a piece of serpentine stoneware unearthed in the site of the lmmortal Cave in Haicheng of Liaoning Province dating back to the New Stone Age, more than 12,000 years ago. The second was a small hanging jade article excavated in the site of Hemudu in Zhejiang Province dating back more than 7,000 years. Jade ware in that period was mainly used for personal decoration. A large number of exquisite jade objects were produced 4,000 years ago. Jade ware at that time was mainly used for witchcraft and as an emblem of privileges. During the Shang Dynasty (B.C. 1600--B.C. 1066,) craftsmen used metal tools to make new progress in jade ware models and sculpture. Round jade articles increased in number and jade ware was often given as gifts. The jade-carving technique developed fast in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (B.C. 770--B.C 221.) The Spring and Autumn period was known for its well- carved and exquisite jade ware. The coherent and undulating patterns of dragon, phoenix and Panli (a figure of Chinese folklore) on the jade decorations are still treasured today. In the periods of the Qin and Han dynasties (B.C221--A.D220), jade ware became more practical and objects such as jade tablets fell out of use. At that time, people began to believe in the power of jade ware to increase longevity. They thought they would live forever like gods if they had jade ware. Therefore, the practice of burying the dead with jade ware became common. Invaluable jade figures and clothes sewn with gold threads have been found in tombs dating back to the Han dynasty. During the periods of the Three Kingdoms (AD 220--280) to Song and Yuan dynasties (AD 960--1368), there was no great development in the jade-carving technique. This changed in the Ming Dynasty when many still famous craftsmen emerged. White jade vessels with gold holders and white jade bowls with gold covers, which were unearthed in the Ming Tombs, reflected the dynasty's peak level in jade carving. The jade ware technique peaked in the Qing Dynasty ( AD 1644--1911) under the advocacy of Emperor Qianlong . The patterns of China's jade ware have rich connotations showing strong auspicious colors. Bats and gourds were often used as a basis for more than 100 patterns because the Chinese words (bat and gird) sound like "good fortune" in the Chinese language. When a bat was carved on an ancient coin with a hole, it meant fortune was at hand. When many bats were put with birthday peaches, they referred to fortune and longevity. If bats were mixed with sika, birthday peaches and magpies, they also had a good meaning. All these reflected the ancient Chinese people's yearning for a happy life and revealed the essence of China's traditional culture. Jade in China is varied and can be divided into two categories: hard and soft. Good materials provide strong basics for jade ware carving, but the value of a jade object depends on the skills and reputation of craftsmen, the dates of carving, peculiar modeling and the owner's status. Certainly, different people will have various views on the value of the same jade object. It is difficult to have a unanimous standard. Due to the high value of ancient jade ware, there is an equally long tradition of fake jade ware, which looks much like the real thing. Jade ware collectors should be careful and seek the opinions of professionals before making any major purchases.
Jade carving
appeared first in the Shang and Zhou dynasties about 3,000 years ago when it had
become a separate profession and excavations have shown the fine workmanship of
that time. The materials used included all kinds of hard stones, such as jadeite, nephrite, red agate, white agate, crystal, amethyst, coral,
ruby and sapphire. It is a special skill to exploit the natural color of a piece
of jade to create an effective design. So the most expensive ones are not those
of one single color, but those of multiple colors, the carving skillfully
enhancing the different colors in an object. The Han scholar, Xu Shen, described that: "Jade is the fairest of
stones. It is endowed with five virtues. Charity is typified by its luster,
bright yet warm; rectitude by its translucency, revealing the color and markings
within; wisdom by the purity and penetrating quality of its note when the stone
is struck; courage, in that it may be broken, but cannot be bent; equity, in
that it has sharp angles, which yet injure none."
Attributes Jade has been blessed by nature with many fine attributes - jade is solid in texture, beautiful in color, comfortable to the touch, and produces a pleasant sound when tapped. These qualities matched the ethical standards and codes of conduct of the ancient people and were hence personified. Confucius (551-479 BC) concluded that jade had 11 virtues, such as benevolence (being smooth and lustrous), fidelity (the feel never irritates the skin), polite etiquette (there was an order of wearing), and sincerity (a flaw in jade never hides itself). The Confucian culture advocated that a gentleman should define his manners and conduct in accordance with the virtues of jade. For a long time, wearing jade ornaments was in vogue. Ornaments were either a single piece of jade or comprised of as many as nine pieces strung together. People used the ornaments to symbolize their social status. The ornaments were carved with auspicious designs and words that wished good luck and happy lives. Wearing jade ornaments was most popular during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Those who did not wear them were considered improperly dressed, and houses without jade decorations were not considered homes. For poor and ordinary people who could not afford real jade, they would put up a few couplets that said something like "the hall shines with gold and jade." For women, jade bracelets took up most space in their jewelry boxes. Bracelets received as engagement and wedding gifts were as precious as today's diamond wedding rings. The Chinese describe a good marriage as a "gold and jade marriage." Myths Jade has not only been idealized and personified, but also mythologized, particularly in ancient times when jade vessels were dedicated to rituals and divination purposes. The ancients believed that jade was formed where phoenixes had landed and where there were accumulations of the essence of yang. Proper panning was conducted during moon-lit nights by naked women. It was believed that only by using yin (women were philosophized as yin) to absorb yang could pure jade, the essence of the earth and sky, be obtained. This belief influenced the Chinese for many centuries. The ancient Chinese also believed that jade staved off corrosion and evil spirits. Many jade burial objects have been found in tombs that date as far back as the Zhou Dynasty (11th Century BC). The Zhou people began using flat pieces of jade to cover corpses. In the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220) this custom developed even further. Flat and square jade pieces were sewn by gold thread into burial suites for rulers so that their physical beings would never vanish. In 1971, the tombs of Prince Jing of the Western Han Dynasty and his wife were excavated, yielding two jade suits. However, the bodies inside had vanished a long time ago. Myths about jade faded with the passage of time. However, many people today still believe that wearing jade is good for one's health. Face massagers made of jade have been used since the Qing Dynasty. There are also jade pillows and seat mats. Plum Blossom Jade produced in Henan Province is black in color and has many blue, red, white, yellow and green dots, just like plum blossoms. Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty named this jade a state treasure. Modern tests show that it contains trace elements needed by the human body. The ancient Chinese valued jade very much, as evidenced by the extensive use of the material. The unearthed artifacts of the Hongshan Culture (5,000 to 6,000 years ago) fall into two broad categories: pottery and jade. The jade ware of the period includes ornaments, ritual artifacts, and divination vessels. Ritual jade battle axes and hatchets symbolized power. Divination vessels were carved in the shape of small animals, such as birds and silkworms. The totem jade of the Hongshan people is a pig with a dragon's head. Jade was dominant in China prior to the Bronze Age. The original ancient pictographic character for jade was composed of three horizontal pieces of jade stringed by a central, vertical stroke. Later a dot was added to the character to stand for the word, jade. The one without the dot changed pronunciation, and the three horizontal jade pieces became simply three horizontal lines. This character now stands to mean "king" or "monarch" in Chinese. Value The earth's crust contains over 1,000 kinds of stones, but only about a dozen belong to the jade family. Limited by undeveloped quarrying skills, ancient jade output was very small; therefore, the price of jade was high. Some believe the most valuable piece of ancient jade ware is a flat, round jade ornament named "heshi bi" from the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). The ornament is admired not only for its high quality jade, but also for the story behind it. Legend has it that a man named He from the State of Chu had obtained a piece of jade at Mount Jing in present-day Hubei Province and presented it to King Li. The King was insulted and had the man's left foot amputated. When King Wu succeeded the throne, the man presented the jade to the throne again. The same thing happened, and this time he lost his right foot. When King Wen was enthroned, the man went back to Mount Jing with the jade, full of sorrow. King Wen sent someone to tell him that his jade was precious and was named Heshi Bi -- He Family's Jade. Han Dynasty historian Sima Qi wrote in his book, The Records of a Historian, that the jade was later obtained by the ruler of the State of Zhao. When the ruler of Qin heard about it, he offered to trade 15 of his walled towns for the jade. The ruler of Zhao then sent a minister to take the jade over to Qin, which was stronger than the State of Zhao. When the minister found that the ruler of Qin was not really serious about the trade, the minister managed to bring the jade back to Zhao, relying on his resourcefulness and bravery. The idea that someone may have been willing to give away 15 towns in exchange for a piece of jade reflects the great value the Chinese place on jade. An old Chinese
saying, "Gold has a price, but jade does not," so in traditional Chinese literature, gold
and jade are often mentioned together and are seen as symbols of wealth.
Even today the price of high quality jade is no less than a piece of gold
of the same weight, and
it has stepped down from its ancient sacred altar and
has come into the lives of ordinary people. |
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Profound
cultural undertones and superb workmanship are why people like the Ming
and Qing furniture so much. In a period of 500 years from the Ming
Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty was the zenith of traditional Chinese
furniture workmanship and that the formation of this golden era was
closely linked with the social and economic development of the period.
Since the Song Dynasty (960-1279), when Chinese began sitting on chairs
instead of on mats, carpenters created a number of beautiful pieces. But
only furniture made during the Ming and Qing has been handed down to the
present day because its quality was far superior. With the prosperity of
cities and towns and development of the commodity economy, the demand
for furniture greatly increased and the purchase of hard-wood furniture
became a fad. Also, with the opening of marine trade during the Ming
Dynasty, precious hard-wood timber was introduced to China's interior
areas from Hainan Island and Southeast Asia, providing excellent
materials for fine furniture
making. 
To
satisfy people's desires for decorative and luxurious furnishings, Qing
furniture came in many varieties. The furniture is heavy and sizable,
and features exquisitely carved patterns. Some pieces were carved from
head to foot and had inlays of stone, mother-of-pearl, porcelain, metal,
and enamel. Qing furniture's curved decorations and exaggerated shapes
demand attention, but some say that the over-emphasis on decoration
lowered the artistic level of the furniture.
Cloisonné is an enamel ware, in which the colors of the design are kept apart by
thin metal strips. Major work processes include: making the red-copper
roughcast, forming patterns on the roughcast with thin copper strips,
filling patterns with enamel of different colors, firing, and polishing.
The making of Cloisonné integrates bronze and porcelain-working skills,
traditional painting and etching. It is the pinnacle of traditional
Chinese handicraft.
hotels as well as tourist
stores sell Cloisonné articles, which can be as big as sacrificial
utensils, screens tables and chairs, and as small as chopsticks,
earrings, candy boxes, toothpicks and smoking tools. They are works of
art as well as articles with use value. Handicraftsmen have of late
developed a multi-coloring technique for the making of Cloisonné which
has resulted in more refined and gorgeous products.
period of
time (the 8th century) of the dynasty, when pottery pieces of this kind
were used by the aristocracy as funerary objects. Those in existence
today are limited in number and are considered to be rare treasures,
valued for their brilliant color and life-like shapes.