Juyou

This page describe the different types of woods used in making classical Chinese furniture. There are about 10 of them and each have their own characteristics. Many of them has similar look but very different in rarity and value.

Chinese furniture is treasured not only for its fine craftsmanship, joinery, design, and cultural significance, but for its wood as well. Though not comprehensive, the following woods are those most often found in classical furniture. Note that the Western concept of hardwood refers to woods originating from deciduous trees and softwoods refers to those from coniferous trees. However, the Chinese concept of hard and soft woods refers directly to the hardness of the wood, without regard to its deciduous or coniferous nature.

Hardwoods

BLACKWOOD (Hongmu)

Hongmu is a relatively hard and dense wood with excellent color absorption. Its wood grain percentage is higher than most comparable woods and is very attractive. Once cut, it will mature to a deep luster. There are three different colors of blackwood: pale, red, and black. Having gained considerable popularity during the Qing Dynasty as supplies of huanghuali began to dwindle, existing examples of blackwood furniture from this period are exceedingly elaborate.

BURL (Yingmu)

Long treasured by Chinese wood workers, burl is a general term for a certain cut of wood near the root or at the root section. The wood tissue of a burl is extremely disoriented and is comprised of many small bud formations that often appear as clusters of round curls. With several varieties, burl species are difficult to distinguish from one another. However the similar coloring, texture, and grain patterns of its parent tree can often be detected. Because it is only a small section of a certain variety of tree, burl is scarce in its availability and has been costly since the time of ancient China; thus it was often used only for the small surface areas of furniture made with other hardwoods.

CAMPHOR (Xiangzhangmu)

With its fragrant scent, beautiful color, and resistance to insects, camphor has long been used by the Chinese in the construction of wardrobes and chests. Its grain pattern is very open with diverse radial grains, and its creamy yellow color can easily be stained to a dark lustrous brown. Compared to similar grade woods, camphor is relatively stable so cracks and shifting rarely occur.

CATALPA (Quimu)

Catalpa has long been used in Chinese furniture construction because of its noted stability and resistance to decay. Since ancient times, it has been used for making such objects as musical instruments and game boards. The wood itself is light in color, with very long and narrow grain patterns.

CHICKEN WING WOOD (Jichimu)

Indigenous to Hainan Island and Fujian Province, the strongly grained brown and gray patterns of this hardwood resemble the iridescent quality of lights and shadows on some chicken and pheasant feathers, giving jichimu its name.  Akin to zitan and huanghuali furniture, it is highly coveted, with few examples of Ming Dynasty furniture in existence.

IRONWOOD (Tielimu)

Ironwood is predominantly grayish-brown in color and its open grain has a coarse texture, which easily gives furniture an antique feeling.  The oldest hardwood indigenous to China, tielimu trees produce extremely large trunks, making it an excellent choice for pillars and beams.  In northern regions of Ming China, it was regarded as a rare hardwood and was noted as a desirable wood for furniture making.

LOCUST (Huaimu)

Especially hard and strong, huaimu is a very dense and coarsely grained wood that, once dry, is naturally resistant to moisture and insect damage.  In appearance it is quite similar to Northern Chinese elm, with its long grain patterns and yellow-brown color.  Though difficult to cut, once accomplished it reveals a wonderfully lustrous surface.  The best locust wood in the world is considered to be from northern China.

WALNUT (Hetaomu)

With a large and more delicate grain than yumu, hetaomu produces an attractive and very durable timber commonly used when making high-quality furniture.  Once cut, walnut displays a beautiful, fine, even grain.  It is of medium density and its colors may range from a golden-yellow to a reddish-brown or chestnut-brown color.  Walnut was frequently used for Qing period furniture, sourced from the Shanxi region, which generally demonstrate refined workmanship; earlier pieces are extremely rare.

YELLOW ROSEWOOD (Huanghuali)

With its outstanding rough grain and natural brownish-yellow to purplish-red wood, the term huanghuali literally means “yellow flowering pear.”  The principle wood used during the mid-Ming to early Qing Dynasties, the finest examples of this wood have a translucent, shimmering surface with abstractly figured patterns and colors that range from a reddish-brown to a golden-yellow.  Today, huanghuali is considered extinct; consequently, pieces built from this wood are highly sought after by collectors worldwide.

Softwoods

NORTHERN CHINESE ELM (Yumu)

Throughout China yumu was, and still is, one of the most common woods used for making furniture.  Of medium density, it is easy to work with and quite resistant to decay.   Moreover, its relatively pale color and long and elaborate vertical grain make it an excellent wood for heavy lacquer work.  Recognized as a hardwood in western terms because of its deciduous nature, the Chinese classify yumu as a softwood because it is porous enough to hold color.

PINE (Songmu)

Not only is songmu one of the most abundant tree species found throughout Asia, it is also one of the easiest woods to cut.  Both stable and durable, pine has a very loose and even grain and often has a high number of wood knots giving a rustic look to both old and new pieces of furniture.

SOUTHERN CHINESE ELM (Jumu)

With a tighter and more refined grain than its northern counterpart, jumu was the most praised and used Chinese softwood for Ming furniture.  Denser and stronger than Northern Chinese elm, it is also less common.  Relatively pale in color, like yumu, it is an extremely good wood for heavy lacquer work because it develops a rich, warm patina with the addition of clear lacquer.  Due to its artistic and historical importance, jumu is much valued by collectors and craftsmen alike.

Very precious woods such as Huang hua li, teakwood, tieli or jichimu were imported from the southern Asia countries today known as Burma, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia. These tropical weather type woods have been imported into China for more than 2000 years. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, wealthy inland provinces like Shanxi would deliver these woods by river barge.

Oakwood grows in the northern part of China and Korea, hence the name Gaoli mu ('Korean Wood'). Zuomu is from Liaoning and Jilin, formerly Manchuria. Native Chinese woods are primarily Elmwood, Beechwood, Pine and Fir, with some Mahogany and Walnut.

Poorer provinces developed the lacquer technique to copy the dark color and style of the Zitan, or dark red Sandlewood, furniture. Lacquered furniture became very popular and eventually overtook the importance of the woods wood grain; we sometimes find beautiful natural wood under old worn-off lacquer. Shanxi province developed the best quality lacquer furniture, especially during the reign of Emperor Qian Long (1760 - 1795), and can now be found in the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace.

The Southern provinces used bright red lacquer for decoration and wedding cabinets, red being the color of marriage. The often used it to cover bamboo and soft woods like pine, fir and willow.