The stamps respectively show the Ming Dynasty huanghuali flat-headed table, the Qing dynasty huanghuali open-carved chi pattern square table, and the Ming dynasty huanghuali high table among the Ming and Qing furniture fixtures currently in the Palace Museum in Beijing, the Guanfu Museum in Beijing and overseas. The stone-faced square incense table and the Ming Dynasty iron pear elephant pattern raised head table.
Ming and Qing furniture is the most outstanding ancient furniture. Ming and Qing furniture is famous for its exquisite materials and exquisite craftsmanship. It is a model for the inheritance of my country's intangible cultural heritage and has high ornamental and collection value. The main function of the carrier is to hold items. Utensils mean to support and hold, and generally include three types of utensils: cases, tables, and tables. The structures of the three are roughly the same. The simple shape distinctions are as follows: those with legs and feet retracted from both ends of the panel are called tables, and the body is the largest; those with legs and feet located around the panel are called tables; those with much shorter bodies are called tables.
Classical furniture is a shining pearl in China's long and splendid art culture. The value of classical furniture is not only the use value that serves people, but also embodies the different artistic styles of various periods formed in specific environments, comprehensively reflecting the production development, living customs, concepts, aesthetic tastes and tastes of different historical stages. The level of scientific, technological and material development.
The Ming Dynasty was the golden age in the history of Chinese furniture. The shape, decoration, craftsmanship, materials, etc. of furniture during this period have all reached a state of perfection, with elegant and simple characteristics of the times, and are known as "Ming-style furniture" in later generations. Qing style furniture is characterized by ingenious design, gorgeous decoration, fine workmanship and rich changes. Especially the palace furniture of the Qianlong period, the quality of materials and craftsmanship were unparalleled. Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties typically embodies the exquisite craftsmanship value, extremely high artistic appreciation value, rich historical and cultural value and collection value of Chinese furniture.
The decorative themes of Ming-style furniture have their own tendencies and selectivity, such as pine, bamboo, plum, orchid, pomegranate, ganoderma, lotus and other plant themes; landscapes such as mountains, rocks, flowing water, villages, pavilions and so on. Theme: Animal themes such as fish, algae, auspicious lin, auspicious lion, magpie and so on are more common. The most prominent feature of the decorative themes of Ming-style furniture is the large number of themes with auspicious meanings, such as fangsheng, panchang, ten thousand characters, Ruyi, cloud heads, turtle backs, curved rulers, and links. Compared with Qing-style furniture, Most of the decorative themes of Ming-style furniture are relatively elegant and have the interest of Confucian scholars such as "Mingyue Qingquan" and "Yangchun White Snow", which further enhances the elegance and grandeur of Ming-style furniture.
Qing-style furniture is famous for its gorgeous carvings and paintings, and its decorative patterns also reflect this aesthetic style. The themes of furniture decoration patterns in the Qing Dynasty were further developed and broadened on the basis of the Ming Dynasty. Plants, animals, landscapes, and characters were all included and very rich. Auspicious patterns were also very popular during this period. However, most of the popular patterns during this period were close to the lives of ordinary people. Compared with the bright spring and white snow of Ming-style furniture, they seemed a bit secular. Furniture decoration patterns in the late Qing Dynasty were mostly made up of auspicious words based on the names of various items, such as "Deer and Crane spring together", "More than anything every year", "Phoenix playing with peonies", "Flowers blooming for wealth", "Rising sun", "Have a noble son early" and so on. The furniture of the court nobles often used "Xiangyun holding the sun", "Double dragons playing with pearls", "Hongfu equaling the sky", "Five blessings holding longevity" and so on. In short, the rich and colorful themes are one of the characteristics of the decorative patterns of Qing style furniture. Most of the decorative themes of Qing-style furniture come from the simple living wishes of the common people or the utilitarian requirements of rulers to show off their power and wealth, and are not as elegant as Ming-style furniture. The choice of decorative themes is not as particular as that of Ming-style furniture. Some furniture decorative patterns are obviously simply to show splendor and splendor, with little attention paid to the appropriateness of the theme.
Flat-top desk
It is a desk-shaped furniture with a wider and pointed size and is mainly used for writing and painting. Most of the painted cases do not have "flying corners" and are flat-headed cases. Mainly used for painting or calligraphy creation, etc. The case is a rectangular support, about one foot long and more than one foot wide, used for placing furnishings. The difference from the table is that it adopts different structures due to the different positions of the legs and feet, so it is called "case" and is generally not called "case". "table". Tiao case is also the general name for various long strip cases. Such as calligraphy desks, painting desks, flat-top desks, raised-head desks, etc. The case is the most commonly used piece of furniture in ancient Chinese furniture.
The varieties and forms of the cases are relatively complex. They are divided into flat-head cases and tilt-head cases. The basic shapes are chuck tenon and raglan tenon. Generally speaking, Ming-style banquets are narrow and long, mainly decorated with lines and precise proportions, while Qing-style banquets are wider and mostly decorated with auspicious patterns and longevity furniture patterns.
The desk is a highly ceremonial piece of furniture with very flexible furnishings. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, people often placed it between the main hall and the central hall, with a table and chairs in front. Most of the desks placed in the side rooms were in front of the window or on the gable. It is common to place vases, clocks, dressing utensils and other items on it, especially in elegant places such as studies, studios, boudoirs, and Buddhist halls. It can be placed with letters, stationery, scrolls, copybooks, elegant tripods, or incense. , whisk, etc., are designed to harmonize with the interior decoration and other furniture, thereby forming an elegant and harmonious layout effect.
Square table
A table with a square surface that intersects the legs and feet at right angles, and each corner is joined together with three square wood grid corners, making the corners look square from three sides. Forming a lattice diagonal line, its shape is simple, its structure is rigorous, its design is ingenious, and its temperament is simple and elegant. Specifications vary in size. The basic shape of the square table can be divided into two types: square table without waist and square table with waist. Common ones include the "Eight Immortals Table" and the "Four Immortals Table". The former is about 110 centimeters square, and the latter is about 86 centimeters square.
Incense table
The furniture used to hold incense burners in ancient times was named after the incense burner. Generally, furniture is mostly square or rectangular, while incense tables are mostly round and tall, with exaggerated legs and feet, often with three curved legs and a "holding mud" under the feet. Incense tables are mostly placed in the center, whether indoors or outdoors. There is no one to rely on, and the appearance is pleasant to watch. Incense tables were very popular before the Qing Dynasty. Burning incense was one of the sacrificial rituals of ancient China. By the Tang and Song Dynasties, incense tables had become a part of people's daily life. From "burning incense and playing the piano". Words such as "burning incense and bathing" and "clear windows and burning incense" can be seen in the daily life of ancient nobles. They show the ancient literati's pursuit of an elegant and elegant life. The necessary furniture for the room is included.
Incense tables are mostly used in groups or pairs, and some are also used individually. The description of the incense table in "The Eight Notes of Zunsheng·Yan Xian Qing Shang" is very detailed: "There are two types of incense tables in the Shao Room. The taller one is two feet and eight inches tall. The sides are made of marble, agate, or bone. Bonan inlaid with heart, or four, eight anise, or ten thousand, or plum blossom, or sunflower, or mushroom, or round shape, or lacquer, or water-polished Nagisa wood, used for pavilion pavilion stone, or just play with beautiful stones, It can be used as an incense tray, a flower statue to hold multiple flowers, or a stove to burn incense. There are many types of incense tables, and they are different in height. Such as placing various furnishings, toys, etc. for clear play, which is very pleasing to the mind.
As can be seen from the paintings of the Ming Dynasty, the incense table also had the function of a coffee table. It was not until the Qing Dynasty that the tea table was separated from the incense table and evolved into a new independent variety. Generally speaking, coffee tables are shorter and smaller, and some are also made into two-layer styles, making them easier to distinguish from incense tables. In the Qing Dynasty, tea tables were rarely displayed alone, but were often placed between a pair of armchairs and displayed in sets on both sides of the hall.
The Qiaotou desk
The desk is a rectangular supporting furniture with a foot on the bottom. Both ends of the case surface are equipped with raised "flying corners", so it is called "Qiaotou desk". During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was mainly used as a support for display. Most of the tilted desks were equipped with baffles and exquisite carvings. Because The baffle is made of thicker material than other furniture and is often made of hollow carvings.
Wine tables
Wine tables originated in the Five Dynasties and Northern Song Dynasty and were often used for banquets. "Water line" is used to block the spillage of wine and food to prevent the water from staining the clothes.