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DAYBEDS, COFFEE & DINING TABLES
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