stool

Mechanical Design of the Four-Legged Eight-Spreading Stool: The side-foot structure, with the four legs extending in four directions – forward-left, backward-left, forward-right, and backward-right – from the front view, it resembles a galloping horse (referred to as “running horse fork”), and from the side view, it looks like a person riding a horse fork (referred to as “riding horse fork”). As a whole, it is called “four legs and eight spreads”. Stability Principle: Drawing inspiration from the large wooden beam frame structure of ancient architecture, the legs and feet spread out downward and converge upward, causing the furniture’s center of gravity to sink, making it less likely to tip over when under load, achieving a mechanical balance of “four horizontal and eight stable”. Mortise and Tenon Craft: The legs and feet are combined with the stool surface using through mortise, which can withstand a large load; some stools add cross braces (such as double stair braces) between the legs for further reinforcement. Grooved and Curved Edges: At the junction of the legs and the stool surface, cloud-shaped grooved edges are often embedded, fixed with clamp tenons, and the tooth heads are carved with scroll clouds, symbolizing good luck; the grooved edges and the curved edges follow the outward inclination of the legs, presenting a high level of craftsmanship. Decorative Corners: The middle part of the legs and feet forms a “candlestick line”, and the sides are decorated with “lamp wick lines”, enhancing the three-dimensionality; the borders, grooved edges, and the starting lines of the legs and feet echo each other, presenting simplicity and harmony. Aesthetic Significance: The convergent lines create a visual tension that extends upward, the expanded and contracted form integrates balance and dynamics, embodying the Eastern philosophy of “harmony of hardness and softness”. The four legs support the beam frame like pillars, and the ice plate edge like a eaves gently projects; sitting on it, one can feel the warmth of thousands of years of craftsmanship.