Shop For Unique Chinese Furniture While In Beijing
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Chinese furniture has a unique style of its own. It is admired the world over for its exquisite aesthetic form and excellent practical function. Developed for over 4,000 years independent of western influence, Chinese furniture is liked and sought after by both Chinese and overseas shoppers who are fascinated by its charming beauty and profound cultural values.
by AndyLao


Chinese furniture has a unique style of its own. It is admired the world over for its exquisite aesthetic form and excellent practical function. Developed for over 4,000 years independent of western influence, Chinese furniture is liked and sought after by both Chinese and overseas shoppers who are fascinated by its charming beauty and profound cultural values.

Ancient Chinese started making furniture in the Neolithic period. But the items they made back then were very different from the classic-style Chinese furniture we see nowadays. The classic style began to develop during the Tang dynasty, and reached a high level of sophistication during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Chinese furniture developed through three main periods: the pre-Tang period, the Tang and Song dynasty period, and the Ming and Qing dynasty period.

Pre-Tang Period: Large furniture items, though common nowadays, were not usually used by Chinese people before the Tang dynasty. The tradition back then was to sit on a mat on the floor, with small, simple furniture items placed around the room. Even though a simple and minimal design was preferred for furniture, wealthy people often made extravagant furniture items with expensive decorations.

Tang and Song Dynasty Period: During the Tang dynasty, upper-class Chinese began to use the classic-style Chinese furniture. Paintings from that period show people sitting on high chairs instead of mats. This change is believed to be influenced by Buddhism and the lifestyle of the nomadic tribes living in northern China. In the Song dynasty, both ordinary people and social elites accepted this change and started to use this new style of furniture in their homes.

Ming and Qing Dynasty Period: Chinese furniture developed to an unprecedented level of exquisiteness and sophistication during this time. A flourishing furniture industry increased the number of new items, refined the decorative patterns, and improved furniture-making techniques.

Though similar in style and construction, the furniture made in these two dynasties had an important difference. Ming dynasty furniture emphasized creating an elegant, pure form that showed scholarly taste. Qing dynasty furniture, on the other hand, focused on refining the decorations. These decorations came to be the epitome of ostentatious beauty and grandiose design. Now, most antique furniture items in Chinese markets are from this period.

Chinese furniture is valued both for its material and craftsmanship. Judging these two qualities of Chinese furniture can take years of practice and study.

Since most Chinese furniture items are made of wood, their prices vary greatly depending on the quality and rarity of the wood. While items made of most ordinary wood only costs a few hundred dollars, items made of some extremely rare wood can have price tags of millions of dollars. Chinese furniture dealers have a unique way of ranking the quality of different types of wood: "One yellow, two black, three red, and four white."

"One yellow" means Huanghuali wood, or Yellow Pear wood. It is the most rare, most precious wood used to make Chinese furniture.

"Two black" means Zitan wood, or Purple Incense wood, the second most revered kind of Chinese furniture.

"Three red" means redwood, the most popular wood among Chinese furniture lovers. There are four major types of redwood: old redwood, Chicken's Wing wood, Tieli wood, and Huali wood.

"Four white" refers to several types of white wood that includes Nanmu wood, beech tree wood, camphorwood, and pine.

The craftsmanship of a piece of Chinese furniture not only demonstrates the technical skill of the artisan who made it, but, more importantly, how well he understands the profound concepts of Chinese culture. The harmony of man and nature, the unity of heart and mind, and the inner spirit of things are all deeply integrated concepts in many great furniture items. It is said that only trained experts with years of experience and a discernable eye can quickly grasp the meaning of a design and know whether or not it is a masterful piece of work.

There are many excellent shops in Beijing that offer unique, beautiful Chinese furniture. When you are in Beijing, be sure to check out these shops. If you don't know how to find them, get a personal shopper to help you.

More information:

A. Lao has written about Chinese culture and history for years. He assists a Beijing personal shopper who brings visitors to great Chinese shops. Sometimes he personally tailors shopping trips in Beijing.

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