Classical Chinese Furniture embraces the artistry and craftsmanship of the finest traditional Chinese furniture. It has its own noble style, from cabinets, tables, trunks, chests to all kinds of oriental screens, finished in beautiful, natural elm or black lacquer.

The flourishing days of Chinese furniture were Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1616-1911) dynasties. Ming furniture is simple with sparse lines and little decoration. It usually features fine and durable precious woods, such as mahogany, sandalwood, rose wood etc. Craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty used the succinct language of art to express their inner feelings, and combined ingeniously with the beauty of simplicity and quietness. So the Ming furniture usually has simple structures, unique shapes and minimal decorations which would reserve the natural beauty of the wood. Lines were ingeniously applied to emphasize details such as the back of an armchair and the legs and resting bars of chairs and tables. Main emphasis was placed on the application of the natural beauty of the wood texture and adopting latticework and openwork carving.

The traditional Chinese furniture has much aesthetic appeal due to its apparently simple lines and the fact that it makes use of "natural materials" such as the finest hardwoods-no fusty stuffed couches here. Ready comparisons can be made to Danish furniture, with its sparse lines. With Chinese furniture, you see what you get. Nothing is hidden, and the wood is polished, stained or lacquered to evoke its natural earthiness and grainy patterns.Chinese furniture reached a pinnacle of fine design and workmanship from the sixteenth centuries, the later part of the Ming period. Fine furniture is characterized by restrained and elegant designs and complex joinery that held the furniture together without glue or nails.

There are some furniture market in Beijing which can bring you taste of oriental style into your home.

Gaobeidian Classical Chinese Furniture Market
Different from the rest furniture market street, they have workshop at backyard and can make furniture at a customer's request. Location: beihuayuan,gaobeidian,chaoyang district.

Lujiaying
Goods here are quite original, a place for expert collectors.
Location: Shibalidian, the South Fourth Ring Road.

Panjiayuan
A hodgepodge of all the artifact of Chinese culture.
Location: 100m west of the Panjiayuan Bridge at the East Third Ring Road