Chinese Furniture. Karen Mazurkewich

      

      Chinese Furniture

      Eight-panel interior screen, huanghuali and semiprecious inlay and pierced panels, eighteenth century, North China. Photo courtesy Peter Fung.

      A pair of horseshoe-back armchairs soften, yet complement, the cubist geometry and warm, natural colors of this soaring modern villa in China.

      To Martin, Haleh and Yasmeen

      First published in 2006 by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd., with editorial offices at 364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759 U.S.A. and 61 Tai Seng Avenue #02-12, Singapore 534167.

      Text © 2006 Karen Mazurkewich

       Photos © 2006 Andrew Chester Ong and Periplus Editions (Hong Kong) Ltd

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission of the publisher.

      Library of Congress Control Number 2004114427

       ISBN: 978-1-4629-0692-5 (ebook)

      Design: Holger Jacobs and Wiesia Power at Mind Design

      Printed in Singapore

      Distributors:

       North America, Latin America and Europe

       Tuttle Publishing, 364 Innovation Drive,

       North Clarendon, VT 05759, USA

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       E-mail: [email protected]

       www.tuttlepublishing.com

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       Tuttle Publishing, Yaekari Building, 3F,

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      Asia Pacific

       Berkeley Books Pte Ltd,

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       Singapore 534167

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       www.periplus.com

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      TUTTLE PUBLISHING^® is a registered trademark of Tuttle Publishing, a division of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

      Contemporary adaptation of a Ming scholar’s room by John Ang.

      A living scholar’s studio. Inside Cola Ma’s home in Tianjin.

	Contents
8	Chinese Furniture: A Renaissance
14	Evolving Styles
30	Classifying Chinese Furniture
	Style 32
	Wood 32
	Types of Wood 34
	Rarity and Age 37
	Carving, Workmanship and Symbolism 41
	Decoration in Chinese Furniture 42
	Joints 47
48	Chairs
	Yoke-back Armchairs 52
	Southern Official's Hat Armchairs 54
	Lamphanger Chairs 60
	Rose Chairs 61
	Horseshoe-back Armchairs 63
	Folding Armchairs 67
	Qing-style Armchairs 70
	Western-influenced Chairs 71
74	Stools and Benches
88	Tables and Desks
	Recessed-leg Painting Tables 90
	Side or Wine Tables 93
	Flush-sided Corner Leg Tables 95
	Waisted Corner Leg Tables 96
	Altar Tables 96
	Square Tables 98
	Kang Tables 99
	High Tea Tables and Stands 102
	Pedestal Tables 103
	Coffer Tables 104
	Round Tables 106
	Qin Tables 108
	Gaming Tables 108
	Desks 109
110	Beds
	Day Beds 113
	Couch Beds 114
	Canopy and Alcove Beds 116
120	Cabinets and Bookshelves
	Square-corner Cabinets 122
	Compound Cabinets 129
	Sloping-stile