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COFFEE TABLES, DINING TABLES,
OFFICES & DAYBEDS
Availability in Belgium
Availabilty in US
276001 -
The -luohan chang-, sometimes know as an opium bed, is
undoubtedly the most comfortable piece of furniture in the formal rooms. It is a
long chair for reclining and sitting, used during daily living, when people
often lay on it enjoying some opium. It was also seen as a kind of dais from
which the elders could preside over the rest of the family. Some beds come with
side panels (rails), some are carved and fitted with fretwork railings at three
sides, though during the Ming period they were considerably less ornate.
Used primarily for
sitting and reclining, some can also be transformed into low tables by rolling
away the cushions and textiles. The woven inset, in cane work or rattan, is
especially comfortable in the hot summer season.
The legs were generally
much stronger than those of tables and chairs, as they had to support the extra
weight and girth, and this special design is called horse-hoof feet.
Some parts may have been
replaced during restorations.
This particular bed comes from