Brochure - Cabinets and Chests

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The architecture of a traditional Chinese house does not allow for built in cupboards, therefore clothes, linen, books and scrolls were generally stored in cabinets.

The earliest forms of storage were boxes that in turn developed to the larger chest.  The basic form of the chest appears to have continued until the advent of the chair and a more sophisticated mode of living, perhaps around the Song dynasty (960A.D. - 1279A.D.).  The addition of doors to the chest and then feet reflected a different way of storing articles.  From these humble beginnings, cabinets evolved to become works of art as well as being functional items representing lifestyles, beliefs and tastes of the time.  By the Ming dynasty (1368A.D. – 1644A.D.) cabinets appeared in different forms and a variety of sizes and designs.  Some had specific uses, such as display cabinets, but in general the cabinet performed a flexible role.

There are three main forms of classical Chinese cabinets: square corner cabinets, sloping style cabinets and display cabinets.

One feature of Chinese cabinets is that many of them have doors and centre stiles that could be easily removed. This design served two purposes. Firstly, in a society that folded its clothes rather than hung them, removing the centre stile meant long items such as robes could be neatly stored across the length of the shelf. Secondly, being able to remove doors allowed the user to store large items and to then close the doors around it.

The cabinet is perhaps the best representation of the design ideals of classical Chinese furniture, with its simple lines and elegant proportions.  The sloping style cabinet perhaps reflects this ideal the best; the elegant proportions and functional design embodying the Ming dynasty style.

The functional design of classical Chinese cabinets means that they are suitable for many purposes in the modern Western home.  The removable central stile and doors allows for greater access for storage of bulky items. 
The simple graceful lines mean that they complement many styles of homes and furnishings.