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COFFEE TABLES, DINING TABLES, OFFICES & DAYBEDS
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Availabilty in US


276001 -
Beijing - Early 20th C.

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 Beijing, the capital of the people's republic of China.