in oriental cultures alteration from side- to front- X had never been made.
(maybe because the christian st. andrew's cross symbol had
not that importance ?)
in any case the chinese and japanese folding stool proportions excluded
front- X seating.
feng-shui might have been disturbed by such misuse :)
---
china
the folding chair / the 'hu-ch’uang' is believed to have come from
the west, and is first introduced into chinese culture in the second
century AD by emperor lingdi who was recorded to have had a
fascination with all things foreign.
this includes the folding stool, which he refers to as a 'barbarian' seat.
the 'huchuang' at that time was commonly used by nomadic tribes
in the more remote northern and western regions where it was also
used for mounting horses. at first the stool was seen only as an emblem
of status from the homes of royal figures to the battlefields of
commanders,and being easily carried over the shoulder, it quickly
became a popular seat for traveling or hunting.
the stool is noted as becoming more widespread across chinese
classes in the tang dynasty (618-906).
in the more popular or common example of the chinese folding stool
'mazha', the structure is made of a softwood which requires an
additional metal rod to act as a reinforced pivotal point.
the seat is made of woven rope and metal pieces are added to parts
of the stool to repair worn away areas.
the folding chairs were made of bamboo or wood with soft seats of
rope, rattan, or leather. they often had a headrest and a foot stool.
the 'hu-ch’uang' remained popular for several hundred years,
although it went through a few name changes.
during the sui dynasty (AD 589-618) the name was changed to
'chiao-ch’uang', describing a 'cross bed' with the legs having a scissor
action. writings from the t’ang dynasty (AD 618-906) refer to the chair
as 'sheng ch’uang' (rope bed) and 'i' (chair).
it was reported that chang chin-ling, a noted scholar, had the honor of
sitting in one and emperor mu tsung of t’ang received officers while
situated on his 'sheng ch’uang'.
the 'huanghuali' (chinese horseshoe-back folding armchair)
probably originated in the song dynasty (AD 960-1279),
especially popular from the early ming through early qing dynasties
(mid 14th to mid 18th centuries), became the 'kyokuroku' in
japanese culture (introduced in japan in the kamakura era
(AD1192-1333) and reintroduced from china though the portuguese
in the sixteenth century) and had a very important social importance -
a common chinese saying for the seat of honour in a room,
'di yi ba jiao yi', means literally 'first folding chair'.
also our beach- or deck chair derives from chinese culture.
iconography :
folding chairs were seats of ceremony, and are depicted in
conventional ancestor paintings. these traveling chairs were
carefully represented in the portraits, reflecting their importance
and historical significance.
---
japan
in japan, we find the folding chair of the samurai,
borrowed from chinese culture (it was introduced by chinese
priests). but there is no known date of origination of the
japanese folding stool, referred to as 'sho-gi '.
it was principally used like a field chair, but it was also
adapted for ceremonial use : it was used in the coronation of
the emperors.
folding chairs ' 'kyokuroku'are mostly found in temples
for the shinto priests. this religious chair is reminiscent of the
chinese folding roundback armchair.
it is also used on the 'kabuki' stage.
'kyokuroku' also uses the lateral X-shape in its design.
---
its history as symbol of authority is also traceable in the
following cultures.
see 17th century europe
|
chinese character for folding chair
chinese 'mazha' folding stool
chinese 'hu-ch’uang' folding chair
with headrest and a foot stool.
chinese 'hu-ch’uang' folding chair
'huanghuali',
chinese roundback folding armchair
a very elegant 'huanghuali',
chinese roundback folding armchair
with footrest.
chinese bamboo folding chair,
ancestor of our beach- or deck chairs
'sho-gi' japanese folding stool with footstool
japanese folding chair with footstool
referred as 'kosyou' that came from turkestan.
portrait of one of the 47 ronin seated
on a 'kyokuroku' folding chair
japanese 'kyokuroku' folding chair
japanese 'kyokuroku' folding chair
folding chair for two
17th century |
