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Oriental Arts - Chinese Cabinet
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Chinese cabinets from the Ming
period are commonly classed today as either
‘square cornered’ or ‘round cornered’ cabinets.
Square cornered cabinets had vertical sides and
the doors were mounted on metal hinges – similar
to our own Ming Wardrobe. Round cornered cabinets
tended to have slightly sloping sides, and
included removable doors with wooden pivots at
each end. The doors could then be slotted
directly into the frame of the cabinet, resulting
in a design with extremely clean lines. Our own
sloping cabinets are an excellent example of this
style. Both types of Chinese cabinet were
normally made in matching pairs, placed either
side by side or symmetrically to balance the
interior layout of a room.
Most cabinets included shelves that could be
removed, and often a concealed storage area at
the bottom, covered by removable boards. The
Western concept of a wardrobe did not exist in
Ming Dynasty China, as the Chinese would never
hang clothes vertically inside a cupboard.
Instead clothes were laid flat inside a chest or
cabinet, or hung on wooden racks. Cabinets were
also used in the study to store books and writing
implements, and in the kitchen for food and
cooking utensils.
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Although most cabinets were
wonderfully pure and simple in their construction,
often with the only decoration being shaped aprons at
the base, some were finished with painted and
lacquered designs, or even with an inlay of
semi-precious stones. Common themes for decoration
included landscapes and garden scenes, or Chinese
antiquities. Decorative styles varied across
different regions, with furniture from the Shanxi
region, for example, being noted for its more ornate
and florid style.
Although sideboards were not used in formal dining
rooms as we use them today, large low cabinets would
normally be placed in the centre of a Chinese living
area or on the Kang – the hollow, heated brick
platform used in northern parts of China. These
cabinets would contain everyday items and sometimes
included ‘secret’ compartments for storing valuables.
The metalware that we often associate with Chinese
furniture and that was mounted on various types of
cabinets and chests was designed to be both
functional and decorative. Made of brass or other
alloy metals, these hinges, handles and lock plates
were considered of major significance to the overall
design of a piece and would often include intricate
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