Reclining bed

“Redwood Double-Sided Landscape Folding Screen Reclining Bed: The Supreme Piece in the Hall, a Reclining Bed for Immersive Exploration of the World, Originating in the Wei-Jin Period and Flourishing during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, is a Particularly Unique L-shaped Furniture in Chinese Classical Furniture. It serves as both a seating and sleeping furniture, symbolizing the highest level of hospitality in ancient times and reflecting the owner’s status and taste. And with the double-sided landscape folding screen and footrest, this redwood reclining bed takes this dignity and elegance to the extreme.
I. Overall Charm and Cultural Essence
Classification: A Collection-Class Art Treasure. It is not only a piece of furniture but also a three-dimensional artistic sculpture that can be placed in the hall or study. It is a symbol of family culture and wealth passed down through generations.
Cultural Core: The “Lying and Exploring” charm: Ancient Chinese scholars advocated that “the wise enjoy mountains, and the virtuous enjoy water”, but due to various restrictions, they could not often visit the mountains. So they used the “lying and exploring” method, through appreciating landscape paintings to understand nature and express emotions freely. The folding screen of this bed is a miniature world of mountains and waters, allowing guests and hosts to achieve spiritual freedom in sitting and chatting while realizing “not leaving the banquet hall but sitting in the depths of the mountains and valleys”.
The Doctrine of the Mean: The overall shape is solemn and stable, strictly following symmetrical aesthetics, reflecting the spiritual pursuit of Confucianism of being neither biased nor unbalanced, and being centered and harmonious.
Tao of Unity with Nature: The rare redwood is the essence of nature, and the carved landscapes are the natural atmosphere. The two are perfectly integrated, interpreting the highest philosophical concept of the Chinese people to pursue harmonious coexistence with nature.
II. Detailed Explanation of Core Components
1. Materials: Rare Redwood, Foundation of Value**
Selection: Selected from the top precious wood materials in the “Redwood” national standard.
Characteristics: These woods not only have elegant colors and beautiful textures, but also have extremely high hardness, stability, and durability. After hundreds of years, they do not deteriorate, and as time passes, a layer of smooth jade-like ** patina will form on the surface, making the color more profound and attractive, and the value increasing day by day.
2. Shape and Structure: Classic Form, Ingenious Design
Form: Mostly in screen or five-screen form, that is, composed of three or five screens. The screens increase in height successively, with clear hierarchy, and the shape is grand and magnificent.
Legs and Feet: Typical inward-turned horse hoof legs, with powerful rotation and beautiful arcs, presenting a dynamic line sense within the stability, being the exemplary leg type of Ming-style furniture.
Craftsmanship: The entire body adopts traditional mortise and tenon structure, without a single iron nail. All connection points are formed by precisely calculated mortises and tenons, fitting tightly, remaining firm even after hundreds of years of cold and heat, demonstrating the highest wisdom of Chinese furniture making.
3. Double-sided Landscape Folding Screen: The Soul, Masterpiece of Artistry
Carving Technique: This is the pinnacle of the entire bed’s craftsmanship, integrating deep relief techniques.
Double-sided work: * This is the ultimate test of the craftsmanship of the artisans. They need to carve and create on both the front and back sides of a thick board, and both sides of the patterns must be independent, rich in layers, and detailed, without damaging the integrity of the front picture due to the carving on the other side. The material and time consumption are extremely huge.
Picture Content: The theme is landscape and figure paintings. It depicts towering mountains, ancient pines and cypresses, flowing clouds and waterfalls, pavilions and towers, and scholars on boats, etc. The layout follows the “Three Perspectives” (High Perspective, Deep Perspective, and Flat Perspective) of Chinese painting, with a vast scene within a small space.
Imagination: Each folding screen is an independent three-dimensional painting, and when connected, they form a magnificent landscape scroll, making one feel refreshed and transported to another world when viewing it.
4. Matching Footrest: Essential, One-Size-Fits-All
Function: Also known as “Supporting Feet” or “Footstool”, it is used to stand on when climbing onto the bed or to rest your feet when sitting beside the bed, being an integral part of the complete usage experience and an embodiment of noble etiquette.
Design: Must be of the same material, craftsmanship, and rhythm as the reclining bed.
The material is also rare redwood, with the same color and texture as the main bed.
The leg shape (such as horse hoof legs) perfectly corresponds to the bed body. The panels are often engraved with continuous patterns (such as scroll-leaf motifs, scroll patterns) or simplified landscape designs that correspond to the theme of the screen, ensuring their overall integrity and harmonious beauty as a set of artworks.
III. Functions and Core Advantages
1. Heritage Collection Value: The scarcity of rare materials and the difficulty in replicating top-level craftsmanship give it a high potential for preservation and appreciation, making it a core asset that can be passed down for a hundred years.
2. Ultimate Artistic Value: The double-sided carving requires the efforts of skilled artisans for several years, making it the pinnacle of craftsmanship art. Each piece is unique and worthy of careful appreciation as an artistic rarity.
3. Practical Display Function:
Honoring Guests: Place a tea table or chess table in the center, and it can serve as the highest-level tea party or chess table, allowing close friends and distinguished guests to enjoy tea and play chess together.
Relaxation Bed: Can be used for a midday nap, quiet meditation, or leaning to read.
Setting the Tone: Placed in the villa hall, chairman’s office, or elegant study, it can instantly establish the grandeur and cultural atmosphere of the space, significantly enhancing the value of the space.
4. Cultural Spirit Carrier: It carries China’s profound traditional culture, the spirit of scholars, and philosophical thoughts. It is a materialized spiritual palace, highlighting the owner’s profound cultural cultivation and aesthetic height.