Traditional Chinese carved wood furniture is the result of artisanship which has been passed down from generation to generation for over two-thousand years. Craftsmen united in guilds as early as the Han (206BC-219AD) Dynasty, producing exquisite furniture for temples and nobility, and adding to the rich arts of Chinese culture.
Designed for the nobility and other formal and imposing use, the furniture tended to be large. The height of a chair back, for example, might be over six feet, dwarfing most modern chairs. Deriving from Confucian maxims, "form" ruled the day in old China. High officials sat tall and erect--high and mighty--well above the trite and common, according dignity to their rank.
Mother of pearl inlays often embellished ancient Chinese furniture; pearls, jade, marble, and other precious stones and semi-precious stones were also smoothed into wooden surfaces. The gems were selected for their ability to reflect light, enhancing the natural beauty of the wood and, also, increasing the overall value of the furniture. Some times landscape scenes would be etched into the wood. Bringing natural scenes into the home reflected the Chinese philosophy of tien jen he yi (the unity of Heaven and man).
The art of furniture crafting was brought to Taiwan from mainland China at the end of the Ming (1386-1644) Dynasty. Sandalwood was then imported from southeast Asia; expert craftsmen were sought; and the industry gradually began to produce excellent hand-carved pieces for use in every room of the house.
The fifty-year Japanese occupation of Taiwan began a mixed offspring--a Chinese-Japanese style of furniture. When Taiwan was restored to China in 1945, Western influence flowed in as the Japanese influence receded.
This influenced, semi-traditional furniture is often crafted with painted scenes of luck or fortune, or of mythical animals such as the dragon or phoenix. Manufactured for modern living, it features soft cushions on chair seats and backs. The chairs' stature has shrunk from the traditional height of the chairs of the past. Despite the changes however, the same craftsmanship is built into the design. Nails and other metallic fasteners are strictly forbidden. Only tenon and mortise (male and female joints) are used to bind the furniture parts together. Precision and utmost care are involved, for if any piece of wood is only a bit out of place, the entire structure will wobble and eventually collapse. A well-crafted piece is expected to last for at least 100 years, a tribute to the craftsman and the tradition.
Now, Western-type furniture, durable, economic, and portable, has become popular with the younger generation. With a desire for novelty and an affinity for foreign images, they choose the Western-type pieces over the large and extremely expensive traditional furniture. The traditional style remains in vogue with older folk, who view it is a part of their heritage to be handed down to successive generations as heirlooms. They pay thousands of dollars for the privilege. Visitors to Taiwan are often greatly interested in obtaining traditional furniture for their homes, its richness and luxury serving especially as a "status-symbol" or simply as a different mode of interior design.
The process of manufacturing traditional furniture involves great skill and many hours; therefore, it is very expensive. For example, a set of decorated red-sandaewood living-room furniture, which includes four small chairs, a sofa and coffee table and two small end tables, might start at approximately US$3750. The price varies with the type, quality, and hardness of the wood, and the design characteristics of each piece. Sandalwood is a hard wood which, if properly processed, will maintain its distinctively aromatic flavor and lustre for lifetimes, making it highly valued raw material.
If you are considering a purchase for your overseas home, don't forget to add shipping and handling charges of $1000 or more for the heavy furniture, which must be exceedingly well-packed to prevent damage. If the total cost of these unique Oriental "baubles" is not the deterrent for avid trend-setters, then beware. A certain Saudi Arabian Prince and officials of various Central and South American countries already have pieces in their possession, presented by Premier Sun on his diplomatic travels. If your local fine furniture store or antique shop does not carry traditional Chinese furniture, and you still must have it, the experts in Taiwan will cheerfully fill your orders.
[Picture Caption]
1. Marble and mother-of-pearl have been inlaid and polished to a fine smoothness. 2. Traditional Chinese sofa. 3. Back of an official's chair illustrates the careful and minute craftsmanship which goes into the carving. 4. This dragon chair was created in the imperial Ching Dynasty style. Dragons' heads form the arms of the chair, and their bodies, the back.
1.2. The traditional art of carving furniture has a history of more than 2,000 years in China. The art is passed down from generation to generation to create a pool of skilled artisans. 3. Many of these pieces of traditional furniture are purchased for rooms decorated in modern style. 4. Because materials and craftsmanship involved in the creation of a piece are different, prices can be high. For example, this set of redwood furniture sells for US$10,000 5. Different types of shells are used in the creation of these flower motifs used to decorate screens. 6. Carved flower stand.
1. Asia's largest wood carving factory is located in Taoyuan, near the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport. Staffed mainly by military veterans, it is open to public tours. Shown here is President of the World Veterans' Federation, Col. W. Ch. J. M. Van Lanschot. 2. A manager describes facilities at the factory to a visitor. 3. Traditional make-up table for women. 4. The dragon, a traditional symbol of good luck, is carved into this piece of furniture. 5. A screen inlaid with mother-of-pearl.
Traditional Chinese sofa.
Back of an official's chair illustrates the careful and minute craftsmanship which goes into the carving.
This dragon chair was created in the imperial Ching Dynasty style. Dragons' heads form the arms of the chair, and their bodies, the back.
The traditional art of carving furniture has a history of more than 2,000 years in China. The art is passed down from generation to generation to create a pool of skilled artisans.
The traditional art of carving furniture has a history of more than 2,000 years in China. The art is passed down from generation to generation to create a pool of skilled artisans.
Many of these pieces of traditional furniture are purchased for rooms decorated in modern style.
Because materials and craftsmanship involved in the creation of a piece are different, prices can be high. For example, this set of redwood furniture sells for US$10,000.
Different types of shells are used in the creation of these flower motifs used to decorate screens.
Asia's largest wood carving factory is located in Taoyuan, near the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport. Staffed mainly by military veterans, it is open to public tours. Shown here is President of the World Veterans' Federation, Col. W. Ch. J. M. Van Lanschot.
A manager describes facilities at the factory to a visitor.
Traditional make-up table for women.
The dragon, a traditional symbol of good luck, is carved into this piece of furniture.
A screen inlaid with mother-of-pearl.
