Square Stool, Black Lacquer d70 There are also inscriptions in

There are also inscriptions in Chinese characters painted just below the shelf and on the bottom apron - most likely messages for good fortune to the recipient of the cabinet or details of when and where it was presented

wide grain

for example the elegant 'horse hoof' feet and S-shape supporting braces (known in Chinese as 'bawangcheng') but the table's timeless style makes it the perfect stage for vases

The inside is finished in a dark wood stain

Square Stool, Black Lacquer d70 There are also inscriptions inUnlike in other Asian countries, where people continued to sit on the floor centuries later, the Chinese quickly developed higher level seating and stools were in use throughout China from as early as the Tang dynasty over a thousand years ago. They were not seen as an inferior type of seating and were used by all levels of society. By the Ming dynasty a design had appeared with 'horse hoof' feet and a 'waisted' top that remained largely unchanged and