This design is inspired by the bamboo and cane furniture often depicted in Song (460 - 128) and Ming (1368 - 1644) paintings. The usage of expensive hardwood to simulate common material again illustrates the sensibilities of understatement considered high form by the Ming elite. Games tables seem a standard type of furniture in the late Ming and early Qing but surviving examples are quite rare. The game of double six shuanglu, made popular in the Tang dynasty gradually become lost after the early Qing.

A rectangular table of this design is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing (Zhu, 110). There are examples of games tables in various museum collections, among them the one in the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Jacobsen et al, 115-116), the Cleveland Museum of Art (Lee, 50) and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (Lee, Jean Gordon, 276).

The removable top of standard mitre, mortise and tenon construction with a flush, tongue-and-groove three matched board floating panel supported by three dovetailed stretchers underneath, two with exposed tenons. There are exposed tenons on the short sides of the removable top. The edge of the table top moulds downwards to form a double rounded edge. The similarly shaped members underneath the frame appear to be its continuation but are actually the aprons and they are dovetailed into the round legs to meet up with each other. Two transverse stretchers are mortised and tenoned to the aprons, together with the two interlocking longitudinal stretchers and nine inset panels, they form the base of the games tables. There are ten compartments with removable covers fitted with metal handle-knobs, two compartments with wood-hinged flaps and a central removable shuanglu games tray. Below the aprons, the similarly shaped humpback stretchers are dovetailed into the round legs to meet up with each other. Small pillar shaped struts are mortised and tenoned to the stretcher and the underside of the aprons, two on the long sides, and one on the short sides. The round legs are double tenoned into the frame top. There are metal caps at the feet.

Jacobsen, Robert D. and Grindley, Nicholas, Classical Chinese Furniture in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, 1999.
Lee, Jean Gordon, ‘Chinese Furniture’, Philadelphia Museum of Art Bulletin, Philadelphia, Winter 1963.
Lee, Sherman, ‘Chinese Domestic Furniture’, The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, No. 3, March 1957.
Zhu, Jiajin, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1)., Hong Kong, 2002.

This design is inspired by the bamboo and cane furniture often depicted in Song (460 - 128) and Ming (1368 - 1644) paintings. The usage of expensive hardwood to simulate common material again illustrates the sensibilities of understatement considered high form by the Ming elite. Games tables seem a standard type of furniture in the late Ming and early Qing but surviving examples are quite rare. The game of double six shuanglu, made popular in the Tang dynasty gradually become lost after the early Qing.

A rectangular table of this design is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing (Zhu, 110). There are examples of games tables in various museum collections, among them the one in the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Jacobsen et al, 115-116), the Cleveland Museum of Art (Lee, 50) and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (Lee, Jean Gordon, 276).

The removable top of standard mitre, mortise and tenon construction with a flush, tongue-and-groove three matched board floating panel supported by three dovetailed stretchers underneath, two with exposed tenons. There are exposed tenons on the short sides of the removable top. The edge of the table top moulds downwards to form a double rounded edge. The similarly shaped members underneath the frame appear to be its continuation but are actually the aprons and they are dovetailed into the round legs to meet up with each other. Two transverse stretchers are mortised and tenoned to the aprons, together with the two interlocking longitudinal stretchers and nine inset panels, they form the base of the games tables. There are ten compartments with removable covers fitted with metal handle-knobs, two compartments with wood-hinged flaps and a central removable shuanglu games tray. Below the aprons, the similarly shaped humpback stretchers are dovetailed into the round legs to meet up with each other. Small pillar shaped struts are mortised and tenoned to the stretcher and the underside of the aprons, two on the long sides, and one on the short sides. The round legs are double tenoned into the frame top. There are metal caps at the feet.

Jacobsen, Robert D. and Grindley, Nicholas, Classical Chinese Furniture in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, 1999.
Lee, Jean Gordon, ‘Chinese Furniture’, Philadelphia Museum of Art Bulletin, Philadelphia, Winter 1963.
Lee, Sherman, ‘Chinese Domestic Furniture’, The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, No. 3, March 1957.
Zhu, Jiajin, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1)., Hong Kong, 2002.

This design is inspired by the bamboo and cane furniture often depicted in Song (460 - 128) and Ming (1368 - 1644) paintings. The usage of expensive hardwood to simulate common material again illustrates the sensibilities of understatement considered high form by the Ming elite. Games tables seem a standard type of furniture in the late Ming and early Qing but surviving examples are quite rare. The game of double six shuanglu, made popular in the Tang dynasty gradually become lost after the early Qing.

A rectangular table of this design is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing (Zhu, 110). There are examples of games tables in various museum collections, among them the one in the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Jacobsen et al, 115-116), the Cleveland Museum of Art (Lee, 50) and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (Lee, Jean Gordon, 276).

The removable top of standard mitre, mortise and tenon construction with a flush, tongue-and-groove three matched board floating panel supported by three dovetailed stretchers underneath, two with exposed tenons. There are exposed tenons on the short sides of the removable top. The edge of the table top moulds downwards to form a double rounded edge. The similarly shaped members underneath the frame appear to be its continuation but are actually the aprons and they are dovetailed into the round legs to meet up with each other. Two transverse stretchers are mortised and tenoned to the aprons, together with the two interlocking longitudinal stretchers and nine inset panels, they form the base of the games tables. There are ten compartments with removable covers fitted with metal handle-knobs, two compartments with wood-hinged flaps and a central removable shuanglu games tray. Below the aprons, the similarly shaped humpback stretchers are dovetailed into the round legs to meet up with each other. Small pillar shaped struts are mortised and tenoned to the stretcher and the underside of the aprons, two on the long sides, and one on the short sides. The round legs are double tenoned into the frame top. There are metal caps at the feet.

Jacobsen, Robert D. and Grindley, Nicholas, Classical Chinese Furniture in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, 1999.
Lee, Jean Gordon, ‘Chinese Furniture’, Philadelphia Museum of Art Bulletin, Philadelphia, Winter 1963.
Lee, Sherman, ‘Chinese Domestic Furniture’, The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, No. 3, March 1957.
Zhu, Jiajin, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1)., Hong Kong, 2002.

This table is constructed in such a manner that it may be assembled, dismantled, and folded for storage or carrying around. The top section, with the end pieces and the aprons attached, can be lifted off the legs and the aprons folded flat against the table top. The remaining two sections each has two legs joined by stretchers.

Except for a folding daybed (Wang, 121) in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, few folding or portable hardwood furniture pieces have been published to date, folding chairs and stools excepted.

The existence of these pieces suggests that there may be a type of portable furniture that folds or can be dismantled and assembled. (Wu Bruce, 1990/91, 233) The question of whether this type was a regional specialty or produced in most workshops can only be answered by further investigation.

Compare this to the very similar example published in Dreams of Chu Tan Chamber and the Romance with Huanghuali Wood: The Dr. S. Y. Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture. (Wu Bruce, 1991, 77)

The top of standard mitred, mortised, and tenoned frame construction, with a flush, single-board, tongue-and-grooved, floating panel supported by five dovetailed transverse stretchers underneath, three with exposed tenons. There are also exposed tenons on the short sides of the frame top. The mitred frame moulds inward and downward from about a third way down, and again to end in a narrow flat band. The cloud-shaped, beaded-edged spandrelled apron, made of one piece of wood, has extended dowels at the ends which fit into round sockets in the end pieces, allowing the apron to be folded flat against the table top when the leg components are not in place. The shaped end pieces are mortised and tenoned to the frame top. The rectangular legs with thumb-moulding and butterflied corners are cut to house the spandrelled apron and are double tenoned to the underside of the top. The legs, joined by two similarly shaped stretchers with exposed tenons, can be dismantled.

Wang, Shixiang, Classic Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, London, 1986.
Wu Bruce, Grace, Dreams of Chu Tan Chamber and the Romance with Huanghuali Wood: The Dr. S. Y. Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture, Hong Kong, 1991.
Wu Bruce, Grace, ‘Examples of Classic Chinese Furniture 1. A Folding Table’, Oriental Art, Winter 1990/91, New Series Vol.XXXVI No 4.

This table is constructed in such a manner that it may be assembled, dismantled, and folded for storage or carrying around. The top section, with the end pieces and the aprons attached, can be lifted off the legs and the aprons folded flat against the table top. The remaining two sections each has two legs joined by stretchers.

Except for a folding daybed (Wang, 121) in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, few folding or portable hardwood furniture pieces have been published to date, folding chairs and stools excepted.

The existence of these pieces suggests that there may be a type of portable furniture that folds or can be dismantled and assembled. (Wu Bruce, 1990/91, 233) The question of whether this type was a regional specialty or produced in most workshops can only be answered by further investigation.

Compare this to the very similar example published in Dreams of Chu Tan Chamber and the Romance with Huanghuali Wood: The Dr. S. Y. Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture. (Wu Bruce, 1991, 77)

The top of standard mitred, mortised, and tenoned frame construction, with a flush, single-board, tongue-and-grooved, floating panel supported by five dovetailed transverse stretchers underneath, three with exposed tenons. There are also exposed tenons on the short sides of the frame top. The mitred frame moulds inward and downward from about a third way down, and again to end in a narrow flat band. The cloud-shaped, beaded-edged spandrelled apron, made of one piece of wood, has extended dowels at the ends which fit into round sockets in the end pieces, allowing the apron to be folded flat against the table top when the leg components are not in place. The shaped end pieces are mortised and tenoned to the frame top. The rectangular legs with thumb-moulding and butterflied corners are cut to house the spandrelled apron and are double tenoned to the underside of the top. The legs, joined by two similarly shaped stretchers with exposed tenons, can be dismantled.

Wang, Shixiang, Classic Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, London, 1986.
Wu Bruce, Grace, Dreams of Chu Tan Chamber and the Romance with Huanghuali Wood: The Dr. S. Y. Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture, Hong Kong, 1991.
Wu Bruce, Grace, ‘Examples of Classic Chinese Furniture 1. A Folding Table’, Oriental Art, Winter 1990/91, New Series Vol.XXXVI No 4.

This table is constructed in such a manner that it may be assembled, dismantled, and folded for storage or carrying around. The top section, with the end pieces and the aprons attached, can be lifted off the legs and the aprons folded flat against the table top. The remaining two sections each has two legs joined by stretchers.

Except for a folding daybed (Wang, 121) in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, few folding or portable hardwood furniture pieces have been published to date, folding chairs and stools excepted.

The existence of these pieces suggests that there may be a type of portable furniture that folds or can be dismantled and assembled. (Wu Bruce, 1990/91, 233) The question of whether this type was a regional specialty or produced in most workshops can only be answered by further investigation.

Compare this to the very similar example published in Dreams of Chu Tan Chamber and the Romance with Huanghuali Wood: The Dr. S. Y. Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture. (Wu Bruce, 1991, 77)

The top of standard mitred, mortised, and tenoned frame construction, with a flush, single-board, tongue-and-grooved, floating panel supported by five dovetailed transverse stretchers underneath, three with exposed tenons. There are also exposed tenons on the short sides of the frame top. The mitred frame moulds inward and downward from about a third way down, and again to end in a narrow flat band. The cloud-shaped, beaded-edged spandrelled apron, made of one piece of wood, has extended dowels at the ends which fit into round sockets in the end pieces, allowing the apron to be folded flat against the table top when the leg components are not in place. The shaped end pieces are mortised and tenoned to the frame top. The rectangular legs with thumb-moulding and butterflied corners are cut to house the spandrelled apron and are double tenoned to the underside of the top. The legs, joined by two similarly shaped stretchers with exposed tenons, can be dismantled.

Wang, Shixiang, Classic Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, London, 1986.
Wu Bruce, Grace, Dreams of Chu Tan Chamber and the Romance with Huanghuali Wood: The Dr. S. Y. Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture, Hong Kong, 1991.
Wu Bruce, Grace, ‘Examples of Classic Chinese Furniture 1. A Folding Table’, Oriental Art, Winter 1990/91, New Series Vol.XXXVI No 4.

This chest belongs to a group of furniture some of which were made for carriage, and they have a variety of designs, ranging from having doors as the present example to having a removable front panel, from interiors with only shelves to many drawers and compartments as well as a central space for a shrine. These chests were used to store books, documents and valuables.

Compare this with a similar piece in our 1995 exhibition published in the catalogue (Wu Bruce, 50 – 51), now in a private collection in Taiwan.

The base constructed as a stand, the beaded-edged curvilinear-shaped stretcher in front is carved with tendrils. The top and the sides of the cabinet are made of well-figured single board panels dovetail-joined together while the back panel is tongue-and-grooved to the top, sides and the base. The two removable front doors are of mitred frame construction with single-board tongue-and-grooved panels cut from the same timber. There are rectangular metal hinges and cloud shaped door plates with shaped door pulls and lock receptacles. Inside the cabinet, there are two shelves and two drawers at the bottom. The entire piece is made in huanghuali.

Wu Bruce, Grace, Ming Furniture, Hong Kong, 1995.

This chest belongs to a group of furniture some of which were made for carriage, and they have a variety of designs, ranging from having doors as the present example to having a removable front panel, from interiors with only shelves to many drawers and compartments as well as a central space for a shrine. These chests were used to store books, documents and valuables.

Compare this with a similar piece in our 1995 exhibition published in the catalogue (Wu Bruce, 50 – 51), now in a private collection in Taiwan.

The base constructed as a stand, the beaded-edged curvilinear-shaped stretcher in front is carved with tendrils. The top and the sides of the cabinet are made of well-figured single board panels dovetail-joined together while the back panel is tongue-and-grooved to the top, sides and the base. The two removable front doors are of mitred frame construction with single-board tongue-and-grooved panels cut from the same timber. There are rectangular metal hinges and cloud shaped door plates with shaped door pulls and lock receptacles. Inside the cabinet, there are two shelves and two drawers at the bottom. The entire piece is made in huanghuali.

Wu Bruce, Grace, Ming Furniture, Hong Kong, 1995.

This piece, with similar construction to banzhuo tables but smaller, is probably an incense stand. Incense stands, xiangji, are very rare in surviving examples of Ming furniture. They were used for displaying a rock sculpture, fragrant penzai miniature plant, flower vase or an incense burner (Gao, 547). They are sometimes seen being placed outdoors for worship (Wu, 109). Its height, greater than standard tables, attests to this usage.

Green figured stone panels seemed a popular usage as tables tops in Ming furniture construction. Other examples are the square table in the collection of the Shanghai Museum (Wang, 142) and the wine table illustrated in Classic Chinese Furniture. (Wang, 135)

Compare this to the very similar example but with a wooden top panel exhibited in “Feast by a wine table reclining on a couch: The Dr. S. Y. Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture III”, Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. (Wu Bruce, 59)

Of mitre, mortise and tenon frame construction with a figured green stone top supported by two transverse stretchers underneath. The tenons are exposed on the short rails of the frame top. The edge of the frame moulds downward and inward from about halfway down to end in a narrow band. The recessed waist and the plain straight apron, mitred, mortised and tenoned into and half lapped onto the legs, are double lock tenoned to the mitred frame and terminate in well drawn hoof feet. Below the aprons are humpback shaped stretchers, mortised, tenoned and slightly set back into the legs.

Gao, Lian, Zunsheng Bajian, (Eight Discourses on the Art of Living,) compiled in 1591, Bashu Chubanshe, Chengdu, 1988.
Wang, Shixiang, Classic Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, London, 1986.
Wu, Zhefu, ‘Zhongguo Banhua’, (Chinese Woodblock Print), Gugong Wenwu Yuekan, (The National Palace Monthly of Chinese Art), Taipei, November, 1983.
Wu Bruce, Grace, Feast by a wine table reclining on a couch: The Dr. S. Y. Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture III, Hong Kong, 2007.

This piece, with similar construction to banzhuo tables but smaller, is probably an incense stand. Incense stands, xiangji, are very rare in surviving examples of Ming furniture. They were used for displaying a rock sculpture, fragrant penzai miniature plant, flower vase or an incense burner (Gao, 547). They are sometimes seen being placed outdoors for worship (Wu, 109). Its height, greater than standard tables, attests to this usage.

Green figured stone panels seemed a popular usage as tables tops in Ming furniture construction. Other examples are the square table in the collection of the Shanghai Museum (Wang, 142) and the wine table illustrated in Classic Chinese Furniture. (Wang, 135)

Compare this to the very similar example but with a wooden top panel exhibited in “Feast by a wine table reclining on a couch: The Dr. S. Y. Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture III”, Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. (Wu Bruce, 59)

Of mitre, mortise and tenon frame construction with a figured green stone top supported by two transverse stretchers underneath. The tenons are exposed on the short rails of the frame top. The edge of the frame moulds downward and inward from about halfway down to end in a narrow band. The recessed waist and the plain straight apron, mitred, mortised and tenoned into and half lapped onto the legs, are double lock tenoned to the mitred frame and terminate in well drawn hoof feet. Below the aprons are humpback shaped stretchers, mortised, tenoned and slightly set back into the legs.

Gao, Lian, Zunsheng Bajian, (Eight Discourses on the Art of Living,) compiled in 1591, Bashu Chubanshe, Chengdu, 1988.
Wang, Shixiang, Classic Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, London, 1986.
Wu, Zhefu, ‘Zhongguo Banhua’, (Chinese Woodblock Print), Gugong Wenwu Yuekan, (The National Palace Monthly of Chinese Art), Taipei, November, 1983.
Wu Bruce, Grace, Feast by a wine table reclining on a couch: The Dr. S. Y. Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture III, Hong Kong, 2007.

Twelve-leaf folding screen is the rarest type among extant examples of Ming furniture, one of the reason was that many were converted to fixed room dividers, partitions, and they perished with the demolition, alterations to buildings over time (Wang, volume 1, 91).

Compare this to the example in the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, similarly decorated but slightly larger (Handler, 22) and the ten-fold screen in the Dr S Y Yip Collection (Wu Bruce, 144).

The main ten panels are each divided into a top small section inset with an openwork panel, a large middle section with a ledge, and a lower section comprising a large central openwork panel with a smaller section on top, all tongue-and-grooved to the long vertical frame members and the five horizontal mitred stretchers and below there is a curvilinear shaped apron carved with chihulong dragons in relief. The frame members and the horizontal stretchers are decorated with beadings. The openwork panels have beaded-edged designs of auspicious characters and scrolling patterns amidst stylized dragons. The two end panels have an additional section formed by an upright, mitred, mortised and tenoned to the second and third horizontal stretchers. Two short mitred stretchers divide the space between this upright and the outside vertical frame member into three sections, each inset with an openwork panel, decorated with fangdings amidst stylized dragons. The twelve removal panels are connected to each other by three sets of huangtong hinges and their feet capped, also in huangtong.

Handler, Sarah, The Chinese Screen: Movable Walls to Divide, Enhance, and Beautify, Journal of The Classical Chinese Furniture Society, Summer 1993, California.
Wu Bruce, Grace, Dreams of Chu Tan Chamber and the Romance with Huanghuali wood: The Dr S Y Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture, Hong Kong, 1991.
Wang, Shixiang, Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, 2 volumes, Hong Kong, 1990.

Twelve-leaf folding screen is the rarest type among extant examples of Ming furniture, one of the reason was that many were converted to fixed room dividers, partitions, and they perished with the demolition, alterations to buildings over time (Wang, volume 1, 91).

Compare this to the example in the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, similarly decorated but slightly larger (Handler, 22) and the ten-fold screen in the Dr S Y Yip Collection (Wu Bruce, 144).

The main ten panels are each divided into a top small section inset with an openwork panel, a large middle section with a ledge, and a lower section comprising a large central openwork panel with a smaller section on top, all tongue-and-grooved to the long vertical frame members and the five horizontal mitred stretchers and below there is a curvilinear shaped apron carved with chihulong dragons in relief. The frame members and the horizontal stretchers are decorated with beadings. The openwork panels have beaded-edged designs of auspicious characters and scrolling patterns amidst stylized dragons. The two end panels have an additional section formed by an upright, mitred, mortised and tenoned to the second and third horizontal stretchers. Two short mitred stretchers divide the space between this upright and the outside vertical frame member into three sections, each inset with an openwork panel, decorated with fangdings amidst stylized dragons. The twelve removal panels are connected to each other by three sets of huangtong hinges and their feet capped, also in huangtong.

Handler, Sarah, The Chinese Screen: Movable Walls to Divide, Enhance, and Beautify, Journal of The Classical Chinese Furniture Society, Summer 1993, California.
Wu Bruce, Grace, Dreams of Chu Tan Chamber and the Romance with Huanghuali wood: The Dr S Y Yip Collection of Classic Chinese Furniture, Hong Kong, 1991.
Wang, Shixiang, Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, 2 volumes, Hong Kong, 1990.