Description

Qiongzhu Bamboo Official Hat Chair: A Fusion of Tradition and Comfort

The official hat chair is a type of chair furniture with both the backrest and armrests extending outwards, named after the ancient official’s hat due to its shape. The official hat chair made from Qiongzhu bamboo better reflects the majesty of the ancient official hat chair. Additionally, with prominent bamboo nodes, it can promote blood circulation and massage the back more than chairs made from ordinary materials. The smooth bamboo surface features a backrest and armrests that both extend outwards. The backrest extends beyond the vertical posts and still protrudes forward, curving outward and upward at the end. The middle section of the backrest has a concave shape, similar to a arched style. The armrests flare outward at both ends, harmoniously unified with the backrest. The Qiongzhu bamboo has an elegant curve and is elastic, making the design more unique.

The Legend of the Grandmaster’s Chair

The story of the Grandmaster’s Chair dates back to the Song Dynasty and is associated with the notorious official Qin Hui. According to the records in “Gui’er Ji,” when Qin Hui was resting, he accidentally dropped his headscarf. To ingratiate himself, an official named Wu Yuan ordered the creation of a lotus-leaf-shaped support to be attached to the chair’s backrest, preventing the headscarf from falling again. This type of chair with the lotus leaf support came to be known as the “Grandmaster’s Chair,” and the name has been passed down since then. Another legend involves the Ming Dynasty literati Wen Zhengming, whose great-grandson Wen Zhenmeng later became the Grandmaster under Emperor Chongzhen. Wen Zhengming was known as “Wen Taishi,” which is a homophone for “Grandmaster,” and since both owners of the chair held the title of Grandmaster, the chair was named the “Grandmaster’s Chair.” The Grandmaster’s Chair is not only a symbol of power and status but also, during the Ming and Qing dynasties, as furniture production developed, it gradually entered ordinary households, becoming an important piece in the hall, reflecting the owner’s taste and status.