The origins and development of hardwood domestic furniture in China

Abstract

Part I of this thesis examines the historical origins and development of three items of Chinese hardwood furniture; namely, the bed, the table, and the chair. In Part II, pictorial representations of household furniture which appear on tomb walls, in woodcut illustrations, and on painted scrolls, are assessed. This research emphasizes the practical value of furniture studies, and shows how this field of knowledge can be of great value as a dating tool in related fields of Chinese Studies.